Administrators announced at the beginning of the school year that the junior courtyard was closed due to pending construction.
However, the ban was not enforced and many juniors continued to eat in the courtyard. Now teachers and parent volunteer Suzanne Levi want to know what the juniors have been doing to innocent courtyard turtles, and juniors want to know when the construction will begin.
The PTA gave Suzanne Levi, who helps maintain the courtyard, money to buy several turtles, fish, and frogs for the pond. Levi bought twelve turtles, but as time went by, she noticed that many turtles disappeared. Levi also says turtles were found roaming the hallways, putting her on high alert. Courtyard frequenter Faith Johnson says she told Levi that something was wrong with one of the turtles. Levi took a turtle with a flaked shell to For Pete’s Sake, an animal hospital. Pete’s Sake informed Levi that the turtle had been abused and that if the conditions were unsafe, then all turtles needed to be turned over to their custody.
Although Levi chose not to turn over the remaining turtles, she is still concerned about their wellbeing. She believes the turtles and other wildlife should be able to live peacefully in the courtyard.
Levi says abuse of the turtles is a “lack of respect for nature, property, and life in general,” challenging juniors to “speak up and say it is not right.”
Johnson, however, doesn’t “feel like a high school is a good place for turtles because kids are mean.”
The junior courtyard is awaiting the construction of a greenhouse. But many juniors are frustrated because it seems like there hasn’t been any progress since school began.
The Environmental Club, sponsored by science teacher Karen Lionberger, is responsible for junior courtyard beautification. They became interested when the National Wildlife Federation set up the fishpond and waterfall as part of their Habitat Certification program.
The club received charter money to buy a greenhouse, which is to serve as an outdoor classroom.
Junior Amanda Means says of the courtyard, “I have not seen anything done. If they’re gonna restrict use, they need to be doing something.”
Lionberger responded by saying that much work has been done. However, things such as planted flowers and the butterfly garden won’t be evident until the spring
Concerning the overall work, she says, “We just don’t have enough people in the club to help us.” She asks willing students to come help with courtyard beautification, especially since beautification is a “constant process of weeding and replanting.”
Levi says that COX Enterprises has offered to construct the greenhouse and should begin the work soon.