Mr. Jewett’s Spanish class was going over a lesson when suddenly, BANG! SMASH! BOOM! Mr. Jewett sighs once more, as the students all curiously look towards the window to see what’s happening. Finally, he informs us that this is a brand-new start for North Hollywood High School. Later, during fourth period, I find out that over $200 million is going into constructing entirely new buildings, football and baseball fields, and gyms for our school. This is a massive improvement, as 9th grade AP World History teacher Mr. McCollaum states, “Our school is overdue for a renovation.” However, with the continuous noise and distraction the construction makes, what will the students and teachers say?
Mr. McCollaum supports the idea of the construction entirely. He states that he is lucky enough not to be near the main site of construction that is happening at the moment. This gives him a little bit of peace and quiet before he is in Mr. Jewett’s situation in a few months. But even then, he knows that the construction is happening for the greater good, and willing to endure this noise. He has a vision for this renovation, even if it might not come true. He hopes that once the new buildings are built, he will obtain a new updated classroom on the top floor with a birds-eye view of the new baseball field. To him, that’s like opening Christmas presents when he was a little boy.
Most of the teachers support the construction, but do the students? There are some controversies surrounding this plan because of what the students must endure as. Most spanish classes are located where the main site of construction is occurring, and one of the two exits and entrances have been blocked. This means having to shove your way through an already packed crowd in order to get to Spanish or go to another class in this area.
I personally am all for the idea of making our school more innovative, as I can already see the possibilities of updates. However, I do have mixed feelings because of how much I have to push my way through a pack of students who are shuffling through the incredibly narrow exit. Similarly, freshman Gabriel Barcelona claims, “It can be a hassle sometimes to walk to and from Spanish … so that is definitely an issue, as it can cause students to be late to class. I believe[the school] should provide another path to get to the Spanish area or somehow make the pathway wider.” Other than this issue, Gabriel says that he doesn’t mind the noise since it doesn’t really compromise his learning. In fact, Gabriel displays his anticipation and excitement for the final result of the construction as he says, “I believe that this construction is worth it because it’ll beautify our campus and give our school a happier and more productive environment with the new installations.” We won’t know our final thoughts until the renovation is complete, but as of now, it seems that many students and teachers are fully on board. Like Gabriel says, “Change is always good and [we’re] really excited to see how our campus will look after construction is finished.”
Sabrina Mo, Grade 9
North Hollywood Highly Gifted Magnet High School
