Mt. Ararat High School was built in 1973, more than 40 years ago. Since then, it has been a learning center and a place where students prepare and educate themselves for the wonders that await after high school.

The school has an engaging curriculum, staff and students, but its physical structure makes learning and focusing difficult; therefore, it needs to be repaired.

The building makes concentrating difficult. It also is unsafe, and the sense of community is disturbed because of building separation.

The lack of walls in the school means one can hear other classrooms’ lectures, making it strenuous to focus. When I am taking a test in a room that doesn’t have walls, I can hear students in other classrooms around me lecturing, presenting or watching a movie — sometimes all at once.

People in classrooms also can see and hear students in the hallways carrying on conversations while traveling somewhere. Multiple departments in the school use office panels as walls, and these panels are neither soundproof nor tall enough to block us from seeing people passing by.

Using trailers as math classrooms causes the sense of community at Mt. Ararat to feel interrupted. Students have to break off from inside the school, and walk outside away from the whole school, in order to attend math class — even when it’s pouring outside or well below zero.

Mt. Ararat also has health and safety issues caused by water leakage and deterioration. Ceiling tiles are cracking and falling apart, which is dangerous, because many of the wires they cover could fall through and threaten the safety of students. Water damage has also led to mold growth on ceiling tiles that have yet to be replaced. Some students have been in classrooms where water was dripping from the ceiling, with buckets placed under the leakage to collect the falling water. None of these factors contributes to a safe learning environment.

Mt. Ararat has notable qualities such as a great staff and students. We have enough resources, books and materials, and a proper education is provided so each student is able to learn and succeed.

I recognize Mt. Ararat does not have the funds to build a new school, or even repair all the problems the school has, but it does need some love and repair. By doing this, we can contribute to a healthier, safer and more focused learning environment for all students and faculty.

EMILY DENIS is a Mt. Ararat High School sophomore.