Students propose ideas for use of ASB funds

In a recent survey taken by 29 students, the ASB learned that most students want to see the nearly $270,000 in accumulated funds spent on everything from boys’ bathroom urinal dividers to solar panels in the parking lot.

ASB secretary Spring Ma said that the variety of ideas from students is great to see.

“Most of them were geared toward bettering student life, which I think ASB is really excited because ultimately that’s the goal of spending the rollover money this year,” Ma said. “We want to make a lasting impact on the students here at SHS [by making] sure we meet their needs.”

After conducting an online poll to see what students want the money to be used for, ASB has data showing that most would like to see some sort of improvements to often used parts on campus such as water fountains and bathrooms.

Freshman Joan McCarthy said that many of the fountains on campus do not work, forcing students to sometimes have to walk a long way just for a drink of water.

Senior Jonathan Hess also thinks bathrooms are “disgusting,” since they too often lack clean places to put backpacks and high-quality toilets. Another possible use for the money is to buy a new scoreboard for the Benny Pierce Field, an idea suggested by principal Paul Robinson because the current one is old, faded and in a bad location.

Robinson is not alone in favoring sports facilities upgrades. More than 25 percent of the responses ASB has received favored these kinds of upgrades. For example, some want to funnel more money to improve the fields and the tennis courts, while others favor having basketball lights being installed for the outdoor courts.

“As a basketball player, I need time to practice, and even if the gym is open, the players are always kicked out,” sophomore Neal Iyengar said. “We need [lights] because the outdoor courts are always crowded and they can only be used for so much time every day.”

Rather than looking to improve already existing features of the school, others said the money should to go towards a larger fund to install solar panels for the parking lot.

Senior Uday Singh said that many other high schools already have solar panels, and that panels would give cars shade as well as generate revenue for the school. (The cost of adding solar panels would be far more than $270,000.)

Still others want to spend the money on specific clubs and programs. Senior Elizabeth Li, for example, hopes the robotics program can benefit from the extra funds because she said that the program is “expanding and engaging more students every year” but has been negatively impacted as the robotics room will be taken away next year due to the Measure E expansion.

With an eclectic mix ideas for ASB to consider for campus improvement, the officers are currently contemplating which will make the best choice for the whole student body.
“I think the most important suggestions are the changes on campus that we can make as an ASB,” Ma said. “[Those] are the ones that make a lasting impact and pragmatically affect and benefit the whole student body.”

As for a date when the ASB will make a decision on which ideas to use, Ma is uncertain. Instead, the ASB is holding off until it is necessary to start pulling ideas from students.

“I don't think we have a specific decision date, it's just whenever we see a need for it,” Ma said.