August 2022
There’s been nothing more all-consuming this August than the construction taking place on the school. When it’s all said and done, we’re going to have new shower rooms, a new bathroom, updated plumbing, a new cupola, new windows and new blinds. Our school is old but has strong bones and these modern updates help keep the school healthy so our facilities can meet the needs of our students for years to come.
At the beating heart of our school lies our gym. The gym is not just for sporting events but also serves as our physical education classroom, sports arena, lunch recess location, community and event venue, theater, and much more. I’ve been thinking a lot about what it’s like to walk into the gym now that it has all new windows. I’ll do my best here with the three things that keep circling around in my mind.
First, you’ll notice that the space actually feels bigger. Opening up the mezzanine to the natural light was like doubling the physical space in the gym without actually changing the dimensions of the room itself. As soon as you walk into the gym now you can’t help but feel like it has increased in size somehow. This feeling is even more pronounced when you open up the windows and the air begins circulating through the gym.
That extra light (and air) does something to your psyche. Light can absolutely transform a room. It can provide safety and security. Light brings joy. The gym was nice before but now, it is simply beautiful. If your initial thought was that the gym feels bigger, your second thought is how pleasant it is to be in a room with such a high ceiling that is full of natural light (and a crisp Lake Superior breeze). I catch myself walking into the gym now and just smiling at how nice it feels to be in such an awesome room.
This will bring you eventually to your inevitable conclusion. After walking around and standing in awe of the transformation that has taken place, you realize that your experience in that space is now a different one. You realize you don’t even need the lights on anymore to enjoy our lovely gymnasium. Our gym lights serve a purpose to be sure but when they’re off, you can still be in there unlike before. You realize now that you can have the lights on or off and that your decision will change your experience.
It is my hope that everyone who knows and loves our school has an opportunity to visit to check out our “new gym.” It makes me so happy that we get to share this space with our community. I look forward to seeing you at a basketball or volleyball game this year.
