Due to COVID-19 funding, St. Edward has an exciting announcement that parents, students, and coaches have been urging for since the school has opened. Could you take a guess? The St. Edward big gym is installing brand new air conditioning!

Just think back to the hot, steamy, unbreathable summer camps in the sweaty gym. All of that is in the past. No need to open the doors, blow the fans (that do not work), or attempt to fan yourself with pieces of paper. Just think about how during assemblies you won’t have the issue of your skin sticking to the bleachers! You will also no longer have to wear shorts to watch games in the middle of winter. St. Edward wants to give a huge thank you to the parents who helped fundraise during the Tidal Wave! We could not have done this without the families. Although COVID has been difficult for everyone, we were able to make something positive come out of it. The government funds to St. Edward also gave us a huge push to make this dream true.

Now onto the bigger announcement… St. Edward is not only getting air conditioning, but the entire main gym is being remodeled! Yes! This two-million-dollar renovation will take place next spring. We are expanding to create two full courts, receiving brand new equipment, installing new bleachers, building an immense-sized stage, and even structuring a built-in concession stand. It is hard to fathom how breathtaking this news is. We know this will make the students ecstatic. This will not only make practices easier, safer, breathable but also much more fun. The built-in concession stand will have a juice bar for healthy juices, salads, sandwiches, and protein shakes! It will even be open during school hours so students can eat clean for their big games occurring that day. Even the guest-side bleachers will be as extensive and safe as the home-side. New scoreboards are coming, brand new flooring, and even a renovated office for Coach Aydt. If you are not in sports, this still greatly affects theatre students. We are going to install an advanced stage with high-tech screens for effects, order better props, and make a separate room for the cast with pool tables, TVs, and couches for when they aren’t on stage!

This exciting news is making the seniors more than furious. One senior, Andrea Rivera said, “It’s just a shame that I’ve been here for so long and that especially because our class lost so much, that the nice things are coming after we’re leaving and we miss out on it.” Although the seniors are losing out on the gym, we hope they will come back and visit next year. We want to give another thank-you to the families of St. Edward for making this renovation possible. We are elated to begin this immense upgrade in the spring and hope you are as well.