By Julian Tellez, Shenail Arvicio & Desire Noriega
Last quarter, students and faculty were treated to a new look to the six main office doors—Pueblo’s emblem and colors—adding to the aesthetics to the campus that has been a trend for the past few years.
The idea originated from Pueblo High School Principal Mr. Frank Rosthenhausler, whose commitment to beautify PHS is definitely apparent and appreciated by the entire Pueblo community.
Several months ago, Rosthenhausler asked the staff to choose among 10 design ideas, and money was used from vending machine profits.
“The door design cost more than $3,000 dollars, and it’s money well spent,” Rosthenhausler. He added that more doors may be decorated in the coming months.
Assistant Principal Karla Martinez said, “I love the new designs on our new office doors, and it exemplifies how much we all care about the look at Pueblo.”
Ms. Jeniffer Mayersohn, Assistant Principal, said, “I think the doors look beautiful because it makes our school modern.”
In the last few years, Pueblo High School has boasted some very impressive renovations, including a modern library, artificial turf in the patio, a much-needed cafeteria renovation, newly updated bathrooms, but PHS Principal Frank Rosthenhausler has many additional plans of improvement.
Rosthenhausler plans to continue the trend of campus renovations including adding art on the front office doors. He also would like to see new windows and doors for Lever Gym.
Speaking of Lever Gym… New bleachers should be added to the facility before the end of February.
To afford these projects, Rosthenhausler stays busy writing grants to find the money for these renovations and finding workers to complete his visions.
“Improving a school is what a good principal does,” he stated.
Even though Pueblo High School has officially closed its campus this first semester of the school year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, that does not mean that there are not great acts occurring.
On Thursday, October 29, several members of the Class of 2019, along with students from Ms. Espindola’s Garden Club and other volunteers, planted 23 trees around the school.
Graphic design teacher and Class of 2019 sponsor Mr. Ernesto Somoza said, “The senior class gifted me this project back in 2019, and they had to remind me several times that the project needed to get done. I felt like the student in this case.”
Mary Rose Bourbon, Mr. Ernesto Somoza, Sam Lopez & Aylin Coronado.
Class of 2019 President Sam Lopez said, “The idea of planting trees was definitely something we have wanted to do since our freshman year. I believe the idea originally started back in a conversation between my mom and me during my first few weeks of high school. From there, my best friend and future Vice President Aylin [Coronado] and I brainstormed ways of leaving something that will embody the spirit and
growth that the class of 2019 had. Planting trees was the most symbolic thing we could think of. With the help of our amazing sponsor, Mr. Somoza, we were able to pull this all together.”
Most of the trees were planted in the north section of the school, but some were planted by the tennis courts and a few in the front of the school. Prior to the “big dig” event, Somoza and Lopez initiated the project by shoveling the earth, as starters, and realized that the task of planting nearly two dozen trees was going to be challenging for the incoming crew.
“The ground was very hard,” Somoza said, “so for the days leading up to planting the trees, Sam [Lopez] and I—along with his mother—went to Pueblo to pour water in each of the holes to soften the dirt.”
Eventually, after the dirt was softened, other participants from the Class of 2019 included Aylin Coronado, Mary Rose Bourbon, Jovan Miller, Kendall Ervin and Jasmine Bojorquez, could start digging holes and planting the trees. Many other people were involved in this project, including parents, underclassmen and several volunteers from the Tucson Clean and Beautiful Organization.
Several varieties of trees were planted, including Red Push Pistache and Vitex. Three Texas Ash trees were donated by Pueblo High School Principal Mr. Frank Rosthenhausler (aka “Mr. R”). In the future, Somoza said that bench tables, a mural and flower beds may be placed in the same area to create a “Warrior Pride Plaza”.
In the short time since the trees have been planted, Somoza said that the spaces are already becoming habitats for wildlife.
“I saw a large red cardinal sitting on top of one of the trees and many other small wild birds using these trees as resting spots,” Somoza said. “The Vitex trees have already brought some butterflies, a praying mantis and a few lady bugs. It is interesting to see how an area like this can change so quickly in just a week or two by introducing water and trees.”
He added, “The entire project process was beautiful. I really enjoyed seeing former students working with new students to make a positive change on our campus and in the world.”
Jonel Castro helps shovel dirt.
“Being a student at Pueblo High School and being part of the Class of 2019 definitely had the biggest impact on who I am today,” Lopez said. “My time here at Pueblo, although short, were the best times of my life. It felt right to give back to something that has given so much to me.”
Lopez added, “The callouses on Mr. Somoza’s hands will definitely serve as reminders of all of the hard work.”
Even though the solar panels project in the parking lot was supposed to be completed before the beginning of this school year, this construction project did not begin until July 16, making the beginning of the school year a bit chaotic for many employees and students looking for parking spaces.
More than three months later, the project is nearing completion. Final work continues,and an expected date of completion is estimated to be near the end of the semester.
Mr. Mark Farcis, a foreman for the Future Vervan Energy corporation, said, “We are nearing the end of our stay here,” he said. “All that is left is to connect all of the panels to one power source.”
Completion
of this project will ease parking nightmares for faculty, staff and students.
“Traffic in and out of Pueblo has been horrid,” said Assistant Principal Mr. David Montaño, “but we’ve done the best we could do under these circumstances. We hope that everybody can be a little patient because in the end, we’re going to have a beautiful new parking lot that will be environmentally impactful.”
Due to a reduced number of spaces in our usual parking lot due to the installation of the panels, many teachers have had to park in the several new areas that have been designated temporary parking locations.
In the end, the solar panels will be improving the environment as well as reducing the district’s electricity bill.
“Cutting the energy bill in half is always a good thing,” said Ms. Kathryn Gunnels, assistant principal.
The big plan is to go green will take over the district. Many schools in T.U.S.D. have already completed their own solar panels projects in those schools’ parking lots.
Gunnels said, “We live in a world with limited resources, and it makes perfect sense to use our unlimited resource in Arizona—the sun.”
