A new school means new facilities and community areas. One area is our courtyard, which right

now is looking a little, shall we say – sparse. The school decided they don’t want the school to look like a completely blank slate in the middle of campus, so they are holding a vote on what the students want to see. Go Democracy!

One of the most frequent answers is seating. People want benches, tables, and chairs to sit on. Many said the courtyard feels empty and cold, and with a place for people to sit and hang out before and after school, it could make the school feel more comfortable. Another top answer was basketball hoops, and having hoops in the courtyard would allow students to play basketball before school or during lunch.

Some more answers that weren’t as popular are having planters with plants to make it seem more alive and less empty. Even though the school cannot plant trees or plants, we think that they could have potted plants to spruce it up. Another submission was a water fountain; personally, I don’t think that having a water fountain is really possible, but I think it would look pretty if we did have one. People also wanted more color in general, possibly having a mural or giving each student graduating a brick to decorate in the courtyard. Color is important when making a place more comfortable for others since most people prefer a warm, vibrant area that is full of designs and colors.

Now, I have to be honest, the seating wasn’t the most popular vote. The one with an astounding ten votes was a 30-foot tall gilded statue of our principal, Mr. Bickes. You read that right, a giant statue of Mr. Bickes! This isn’t a joke; ten people voted for a large statue of our principal, gilded too. I think this is definitely a possibility, and we should do this to make our campus feel more like home. If you would like to vote on what you want to see in our courtyard, the link is here