Lockers
To keep them or not to keep them? That is the question.
STORY BY DAYTON FRASER
There are 990 lockers in this building, but it’s nearly impossible to find anyone who actually uses one. With the population of EHS on the rise, this could turn into a problem up the road. It could become a waste of space that might possibly be put to better use.
This is why there’s a rumor going around about the lockers potentially getting moved. Mr. Zlatnik confirmed this rumor: “It is something that we’ve been considering for the past two years,” Zlatnik said. “We know that if we look at the numbers of students that are in the middle school that our population is going to grow, so we are looking at some areas where we can get some more space that we can utilize.” With more students coming to EHS in the future, the administration is looking at every possible way to accommodate higher student populations.
“It seems like the locker base could be a good area for us…nothing is set in stone or anything,” Zlatnik said, “but it is something we are certainly talking about.”
Sophomore Emily Moody uses her locker for her books and hoodies – also sharing it with her friends, in order to make it “easier for them”. She wouldn’t be opposed if her locker got taken down, but she said that she would definitely need a bigger bag.
“My locker is not necessary, but it’s helpful. If the school replaced the lockers I would be okay with it,” Moody said, “I would need a bigger backpack though.”
She’s not alone, there are other people who use their lockers, like Kaitlyn Hayes.
“I use my locker every day,” Hayes said, “I mostly use it for my lunch but sometimes use it for other things.” She said would be against the lockers getting taken down, but only if they did it for a good reason.
“I would need somewhere else to put my things, it is just too much to carry around,” Hayes said. “If they replaced the lockers with something else I guess that would be okay.”
It is unclear exactly what they would be replacing the lockers with, for the moment. Mr. Zlatnik mentioned possibilities such as a lounging area for the students, a seating area, or a teachers’ workspace, but currently it is something that the administration is still discussing.
Senior Larry Gulley is heavily against lockers. “I am still mad about the lockers not being moved, they said they would move them my sophomore year, I’m a senior now.”
Gulley also had some ideas of what the school should do with the space where the lockers are.
“I think we should get rid of the lockers and put something like a coffee stand there, or at least a lounge area,” Gulley said. “Nobody really uses their locker anyways so it shouldn’t be that big of a deal.”
Junior Stefan Monroe feels the same about his locker. “I haven’t used one, ever, I don’t even know where mine is,“ Monroe said. “I think they should get rid of the lockers for a seating area, I think that would be cool…I mean so many people sit there during power hour anyways.”
He later proposed an idea: “I think it would be a good idea to keep the lockers on the wall and then replace the other ones with a seating area. They can just set up a signup sheet and whoever wants a locker can just sign their name,” Monroe said.
For the students who do use their lockers, Mr. Zlatnik stated they most likely wouldn’t be getting rid of ALL the lockers. This decision of the lockers is not set in stone though, and administration still wants to accommodate everyone and their needs.
“We certainly aren’t going to get rid of all the lockers because that would be unfair for the people who want them,” Zlatnik said.
