After 10 years of being open, the school football field, track and possibly both gyms will be renovated and redesigned in order to promote athletic safety and school pride. Financial aid to put this redesign process into action will come from the district.

“The district has funds that are allocated for different site improvements, and over time, the facilities all need upgrading. After 10 years, it was time for the field to be redone,” P.E. department chair Michael Gimenez said.

Specific students in Graphics II have chosen to participate in intervention meetings and in after school activities to listen to Coach Gimenez’s feedback and ideas, and create inspiration to show him and Ms. Whitney Lum, who is leading the students and guiding them in the process. Some of the student-created inspiration will be used in the redesigning of the fields and courts.

“Overall we are working on colors and design. Since our first deadline is the football field it’s more like what we want in the end zone, what we want in the 50 yard line and the track.  So our designs are mainly open, but we still have budgetary constraints,” Lum said.

The Graphics II students’ first deadline will be late February and involves the redesign of the football field and the track.

Noah Lewis has been involved from the start in the redesign process, and is not only pitching ideas but leading the team of Graphics II students in order to help them put all of their designs together before passing on the final product of their design to Lum.

“So far we are just creating our designs and drafting the rough drafts, and then we will be presenting it as a team to the football coaches soon,” Lewis said.

Lewis hopes to have one of his group’s ideas incorporated into the actual redesign so he will be able to come back.

“It’s great to have the chance to change something really big at Whitney High. It’s cool to think I might be able to leave a mark on my high school that will still be here when I’m gone,” Lewis said.

The redesign does not only include visual renovations such as a large Wildcat mascot imprint on center field, but also includes safety renovations that will stabilize the track and field.

“For the football field we are adding things to make them safer. Concussion-wise, they are adding different types of turf and things that fill the turf, to try and keep the temperature down on the field as well. Those are all important things to have incorporated in our field,” Gimenez said.

Overall, Lum hopes that her Graphics II students will be able to see their ideas become reality and make their mark on the school.

“This is a real client job. I mean, this is designing for the school. We do real-life things in Graphics II, but this is something realistic that kids might be interested in for the future,” Lum said.

The renovation of the football field will take place during this summer. Further developments will take place accordingly after the designs shaped by Lum and Gimenez have been presented to the football coaches, and then approved by the athletic department.

by RACHEL MARQUARDT