For those of you who have forgotten or are just new to Gilroy,
my name is David Bress and I am currently a senior at Gilroy High
School. I have lived in Gilroy my entire life and been a student in
the GUSD system since kindergarten.
For those of you who have forgotten or are just new to Gilroy, my name is David Bress and I am currently a senior at Gilroy High School. I have lived in Gilroy my entire life and been a student in the GUSD system since kindergarten.
This column is devoted to informing the general public what is happening at GHS from the perspective of someone who actually goes there. I share the column with fellow senior Chris Morsilli, and our purpose is to shed light on the issues that are important to students and teens.
For those of you who followed my column last year you know that I often hit on topics that aren’t covered in the Dispatch’s new stories. I have drawn attention to school rules that don’t make sense and make life difficult for students, and the general treatment of and respect for teenagers. I try to shed a humorous light on issues and demonstrate the fact that not all teens can be lumped into one category. Please think of me as your 17-year-old man in the trenches.
It’s that time of year again; the sun is shining, the birds are chirping and right when summer gets good, school is back in session. Instead of relaxing in the sun, we are now reading Shakespeare. Instead of cruising with friends, we are now calculating fractions. Sleeping in on the weekends … well that’s still the same.
As a student the first thing one notices is what’s new and what’s not on campus. With the addition of several new staff members, buildings and about 700 freshmen, the school doesn’t exactly look the same as it did three months earlier. Last year’s seniors are gone and this year’s freshmen fill the population void – such is the cycle of life. There isn’t much time to mourn the beloved class of 2005. The seniors of ’06 must take up the challenge and rule the school.
First and foremost, there is a new sheriff in town. Although I haven’t had many interactions with Principal James Maxwell, I can say that his mustache, reminiscent of Wyatt Earp, is an inspiration to all the teenage boys trying to grow facial hair. His presence is already felt and although he is a busy man, there have been several “Maxwell Sightings” at lunch.
The new cafeteria is starting to look more like a cafeteria and less like the ruins of the Parthenon; at least it’s a step in the right direction. Apparently it is supposed to be finished in March but I doubt it. I think the first time I eat there will be at some distant alumni function.
I can’t remember a time when there wasn’t construction going on at school. Perhaps this is how people feel who live on Santa Teresa. Just think, there are some students who go to Gilroy High School and live on Santa Teresa.
Construction has become a way of life on our campus. For example, it’s not uncommon to hear a jack hammer go off during your English test or have to park next to a backhoe in the parking lot before school.
Due to all the work being done, GHS still implements many safety precautions. For example, students are still only allowed to walk around the gym in a clockwise manner to ease the confusion with construction. This is good because if we walked around counter-clockwise that would just be silly. The administration has yet to implement a hard-hat policy for the protection of its students. It’s a good thing, too, because a hard-hat policy would greatly conflict with the district’s current no-hat policy.
Mustang Stadium is now home to a brand new turf football field. This way the athletics department will have a better surface to play on and a whole lot of people can use “turf toe” as an excuse to get out of P.E. I like how they made the “G” in the middle of the field open to interpretation. It could stand for Gilroy, Garlic, Girls or Gazpacho, depending on your mood.
Not only is the campus becoming more attractive, with the new facilities both completed and under construction, but also the sense that the campus is becoming a more professional one.
I can’t quite put my finger on it but I think that a few more ties and a general feeling of improved organization has made a difference. It is necessary for GHS to be taken seriously and to be respected by others and those who participate in the school itself.
One of the common ways to get some more self-respect is to get a face-lift. With all the new facility improvements I would say that a face-lift for GHS is just what the doctor ordered.
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