Renovation transforms school art room
Student artwork is stored in the new vertical storage slots. Photo by Berek Harrison.
Last summer, renovations were completed to the art rooms after almost two decades of requests.
According to art teacher Stephanie Woshner, one of the main reasons for the renovation was lack of space, especially compared to the newer schools like Lightridge and Independence.
“Our whole art department could fit in one of their art rooms,” Woshner said. “They are nicer than what I had in art school. Like when I was in college.”
Woshner believed the recent renovation has been needed since the art room was renovated two decades ago.
“The renovation to the art room was done to increase the amount of usable classroom space,” Woshner said. “We needed to get the sinks against the wall so that it opens up more space.”
The renovation also allows for more storage of student work, which was lacking before, according to Woshner.
The renovation is giving more students the ability to follow their passions.
“There’s a better flow, better storage, better organization,” Woshner said.
The renovation gave students improved storage and much more room to work. Originally, the sinks in Woshner’s art room were on an island.
“In a small space like that, it just eliminated some of the class,” Woshner said. “It made too much of the classroom unusable.”
Before the renovation large flat files were used to store artwork. They took up too much space and were replaced with vertical storage slots.
“Whoever designed the room did it very poorly,” Woshner said.
The renovations had originally been scheduled for the summer of 2021, but other construction around the school took priority.
“It didn’t happen because they had to do all the room dividing upstairs on the second floor,” Woshner said. “So we were kind of upset and disappointed.”
Woshner and art teacher Kyla Jenkins met after the renovation was delayed to find other ways to increase space. They made a plan to move the clay area into the unused courtyard.
“We did suggest it to Dr. Lutrell, and she was on board, but they just went with the original plan,” Wosherner said.
Like most projects that are requested of the district, the art renovations left school administration little choice about when construction will begin. One challenge of getting a renovation done is getting it approved. After a renovation request is sent to the county by the school principal, the school doesn’t have much control over whether a project is accepted, and when it is implemented.
“It’s not really the school’s administration that makes that decision,” assistant principal Mark Patterson said. “We don’t have a great deal of input here at the school.”
Students have the ability to contribute to changes to our building. Students are always welcome to make suggestions to Principal Michelle Luttrell, according to assistant principal Mark Patterson.
“This can include suggestions from students or faculty or parents, community members,” Patterson said. “We need all perspectives.”
While the county is processing future renovations, students can appreciate the huge improvements to the art room.
“Last year was really cramped. Like I couldn’t even get to like through the tables,” sophomore Are Alcon said. “But with the renovation, the tables are more spaced out, so there is much more room to work.”
