Schools all over Delta County are adding new entrances and offices. First up is Delta High School, which was finally completed after being in progress for over ten months.
“I think the building looks pretty,” sophomore Paola Solis-Martinez said. “I don’t know why we needed a new gym.”
On the contrary, some students like junior Lucio Lopez Aguilar, are very excited about what the new construction offers to the school.
“I like it. I like the design they went with and how they’re making more gyms for, you know, more sports,” Aguilar said.
While the students have mixed feelings, the staff have similar opinions on what’s to come. Shawna Magtutu, a counselor at DHS, is unsure what might happen to the counseling office once the current office is moved into the new building.
“I’ve heard that possibly the counseling office will move to the front; it’s all up in the air,” Magtutu said. “I love my space back here. Sometimes I worry that it would make it uncomfortable for students to come in if they walk by a principal.”
Although this new part of the school raises some concerns, it also has many benefits. The new space allows students who play basketball to feel less cramped with time. Multiple areas now can hold basketball games and practices instead of just one gymnasium. Vice Principal Craig Cerise also has similar thoughts regarding the new area.
“We’ll be able to have more basketball practices and games, which will cut down on the amount of time in the new gym that teams have to spend after school,” Cerise said.
Along with the new gymnasium, there are larger locker rooms, a bigger mat room, and a new weight room for some of DHS’s classes. Freshman Ariana Ramon, who is in weights, has a closer point of view of what this room is like.
“The new weight room is really good. It has a mirror, and it’s a lot easier to use,” Ramon said.
Overall, feelings about the new construction differ, with some wondering what might happen to the old office, and others curious about what the new gym looks like.
Ethan Grunterog, an electrician who has been working on the building since its beginning, has an insider’s view of the construction process.
“It’s relieving to be nearly done. There was a lot to do in a short amount of time,” Grunterog said. “I think it was good for the students, and good as far as security and as far as the new sports complex, so it should free up a lot of usable space.”
Matthew Cano, a teacher and freshman boys’ basketball coach, is thrilled to see the new facilities.
“I can’t wait for it to be finished,” Cano said.
