Sweaty hallways, stuffy classrooms, and very hot lunch breaks highlight the average day at Millikan during the first few weeks of school. Whether you are a student or a staff member, there are a few ways to escape the heat. Luckily, next school year, renovations are set to add more AC to Millikan’s classes.
Currently, many classrooms at Millikan don’t have air conditioning (AC), and this creates uncomfortable environments for people inside.
“It’s hot in classrooms for sure. Too hot,” MBA junior Devin Wilson states. Wilson doesn’t have any classrooms with AC this school year.
COMPASS senior Georgia Everman said, “I had to go home last week because it was too hot.”
“A lot of [classrooms] don’t have A.C. and the fans don’t really work,” states Everman. “There’s no air actually coming in. I have to sit for an hour and a half just to cool down.”
Students aren’t the only ones who have to survive the weather conditions; teachers feel it too.
“When you pack a whole bunch of kids in the classroom… the warmth, the heat, gets worse than what the outside temperature is,” states Ms. Sharp, a Millikan math teacher in the 300 building. “So typically my class can run five to ten degrees hotter than what is outside.”
Ms. Sharp has ceiling fans and tinted windows in her classroom, but fans can only do so much. Even with opened windows and running fans, hot air does not get cycled out.
The 2024-2025 school year is when permanent solutions are set to begin. According to the LBUSD website, a campus-wide renovation will include the addition of “a new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system and select priority projects from the LBUSD’s 2022 Facility Master Plan.” This is projected to be completed by the 2025-2026 school year.
Current Millikan freshmen, sophomores, and staff members have more air-conditioned buildings to look forward to, but for now, everyone in Millikan has to endure the heat.
Kylie Montiel • Dec 5, 2023 at 6:49 pm
I found this article very humorous and interesting as Allyson described the hot and rather uncomfortable condition Millikan has endured year after year. The recognition of the struggles of both the students and teachers brings a unifying aspect to this unfortunate predicament as we are able to bond over the unwanted specimen that is heat. Statements and pictures from the article from both teachers and students alike also add to the idea that “we are all in this together.” Furthermore, Allyson is able to bring a closing to the article by addressing the school’s plan to renovate Millikan to better fit and satisfy our needs.
While I appreciate the recognition of our struggles with temperature in the school, I think that leaving the school without a more swift solution has an unfinished effect. The addition of Millikan’s plans to renovate leave the juniors and seniors thinking that they will not reap the benefits of this goal leave an unsatisfied after-taste to this article. Speaking as a junior, I would like to believe that the school will take actions to better our educational environment in the moment as well as in the future. Perhaps, a suggestion of a more immediate solution to the heat problem could be added to the article to tie everyone at Millikan into a more unified feeling after reading this article.
In conclusion, I feel that this article was cleverly concise and to the point of our school’s issue and how the students and teachers are feeling about it. I also believe that it brought about different perspectives allowing multiple voices to be heard, but I also think that perhaps a suggestion could be prompted to leave the students and teachers thinking about what we could do in the moment to better our learning environment.
Anthony Lopez • Nov 3, 2023 at 11:33 am
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 11, 2023, Allyson Richter wrote an article entitled “Millikan Feels the Heat.” I liked this article in particular as I relate to Richter and the multiple students she interviewed about the heat that was going on during the first weeks of school. The article Richter wrote was very well written and explained very well how different students behaved and acted trying to avoid the heat that had impacted us as students in a particular way. She had a couple of people in which she interviewed which helped bring insight to people who probably didn’t experience the heat on the same level as a lot of the students walking around campus. She also included at the beginning and at the end a statement that caught my attention. She stated that there were going to be renovations during the 2024-25 school year which are going to be completed by the following school year. She said “The 2024-2025 school year is when permanent solutions are set to begin. According to the LBUSD website, a campus-wide renovation will include the addition of a ‘new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system and select priority projects from the LBUSD’s 2022 Facility Master Plan.’” This gives students insight into how half of the school’s population will be able to enjoy the new ventilation systems the school will have to offer.
Sincerely,
Anthony Lopez
Eric Carranza • Nov 1, 2023 at 9:09 am
On October 11, 2023, Allyson Ritcher wrote an article titled “Millikan Feels the Heat”.
In this article, Ritcher acknowledges the heat that the students are experiencing at Millikan this beginning of the school year. She makes good quotations of a few different people which allows me to completely understand and agree with what they are saying about the heat in the classrooms. It is nice to read an article that you can connect with. Something else that makes this article appealing to read is the organization, splitting it into several small paragraphs to make clear what she is saying and what is being said. It is also made clear who she is quoting and what they are talking about.
Ritcher uses good sources and makes good citations in her article to give her words credibility about the improvements that will be made to Millikan to solve this problem starting in the 2024-2025 school year. It is exciting to hear what there is to come. One part of the information in which she could have enhanced was possibly specifying more what exactly will be added and in what buildings. The reason for this could be due to a lack of information for now so this is not a big deal but it would be something nice to know. Overall this was a well written article.
Sincerely,
Eric Carranza
Robert Nelson • Oct 30, 2023 at 12:47 pm
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 13, 2023, Allyson Richter wrote an article titled “Millikan feels the heat”. First off, this is an amazing article, as someone who only has two air conditioned classes this year, the heat is really a problem , especially in the fifth and sixth period. One thing that I would like to mention is that the only air conditioned rooms on campus are the 11000 building, 800 building, and the bungalows. With this said, not a lot of students have access to these rooms as the 11000 building is for certain classes.
Another thing that I would like to mention is the hallways. Recently I was in the hallway doing a poster project in my Spanish class when my group and I came to realize that it was hotter in the hallway than in the classroom! Despite the large fans found at the ends of the hallways, these fans cannot be left on during instruction time as they are very loud and can disrupt classes. The efforts to combat the heat by the school are appreciated but they are simply not enough, especially with global warming and global temperatures rising. At least the non air conditioned buildings will be saved with these renovations in the upcoming years.
Joana Terriquez • Oct 30, 2023 at 12:43 pm
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 11, 2023, Allyson Richer wrote an article titled “Millikan Feels the Heat”. This article was a great demonstration of the struggles connected with heat waves at Millikan Highschoool and how it affects booths students and teachers. The images used to exemplify the concept of trying to cool down while having no air conditioning in classes help the reader truly understand the way students and staff feel. Including the perspective of a teacher who has to deal with hundreds of students complain everyday about the despair with no type of help to cool down. The inclusion of many student perspectives provided an enhancement on how students truely are struggling with the heat and are in desperate need of air conditioning being placed into their classes. While seniors and juniors arent going to get to experience the new installation of air conditioning in their classes, lower grade level students still have something to look forward to for upcoming years.
Sincerely,
Joana Terriquez
Robert Nelson • Oct 30, 2023 at 12:41 pm
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 13, 2023, Allyson Richter wrote an article titled “Millikan feels the heat”. First off, this is an amazing article, as someone who only has two air conditioned classes this year, the heat is really a problem , especially in the fifth and sixth period. One thing that I would like to mention is that the only air conditioned rooms on campus are the 11000 building, 800 building, and the bungalows. With this said, not a lot of students have access to these rooms as the 11000 building is for certain classes.
Another thing that I would like to mention is the hallways. Recently I was in the hallway doing a poster project in my Spanish class when my group and I came to realize that it was hotter in the hallway than in the classroom! Despite the large fans found at the ends of the hallways, these fans cannot be left on during instruction time as they are very loud and can disrupt classes. The efforts to combat the heat by the school are appreciated but they are simply not enough, especially with global warming and global temperatures rising. At least the non air conditioned buildings will be saved with these renovations in the upcoming years.
Darren Tran • Oct 26, 2023 at 12:07 pm
I truly appreciate your acknowledgement of the condition Millikan currently faces due to the high temperatures and the need for concern when students, such as Georgia Everman, feel the need to exit the school due to the unbearable heat. I personally think that the reactions towards to heat are justified since no one should be forced to suffer through its intensity, and I would like to offer my own insight by stating that I have personally experienced a similar feeling towards the heat due to that fact that it has infringed on my ability to learn by making it more difficult to learn or do anything within the classroom.
Although there are some solutions that are provided at the end, there were not any proposed solutions given to address the problem in the present time. Telling everyone to endure the heat until the problems are resolved should not be the only option as it was made abundantly clear that the heat is completely unmanageable for most students. Furthermore, the solutions will take place in the future and will not benefit some students as they will no longer be attending the school after the problems are fixed.
Therefore, as a temporary solution, I suggest that some classes should be held in different areas or classrooms that are available such as during the conference periods of teachers where there is room for students to gather in a place that is more endurable. While some classes may not be able to do this due to certain requirements or limitations, I believe that this will at least help some students be able to survive the heat. Likewise, since my suggestion will not help a vast majority of students, I believe that people should be asking students what they think should be done currently to help alleviate the problem.
In conclusion, I applaud your acknowledgement towards the current situation and the research that was taken to gather varying opinions; but, I feel that certain steps should be taken to address the issue at least temporarily.
Samara Cunningham • Oct 25, 2023 at 10:54 am
Dear Corydon Editor,
As a student who has to deal with sitting in hot classrooms during these first few hot weeks of
school this article caught my eye. As we have recently faced a heat wave, the classrooms have
been even hotter than they normally are. Allyson does a really good job getting people to explain
how it is for people to sit in these hot classrooms. Since we do not have AC in a majority of our
classrooms some people face this problem more than others as not everyone has classes that have
AC.
Allyson interviewed a COMPASS senior, Georgia Everman, and she explained how she
had to leave school because the classroom heat was too hot. While some classrooms have fans,
they do not provide a lot of cool air in the classroom. Even having the windows open does not
allow for the classroom to cool down. Many of the measures that the school and teachers take in
order to keep the classrooms cool do not work very well.
Even teachers agree that the classroom heat is an issue. Ms. Sharp, a math teacher in the
300 building, even agrees that her classroom can be hotter than the temperature outside. She
explains that, “When you pack a whole bunch of kids in the classroom… the warmth, the heat,
gets even worse than the outside temperature is,” Ms. Sharp even goes on to say, “So typically
my classroom can run five to ten degrees hotter than what it is outside.”
As plans to renovate the school have been talked about, we can expect to see AC
throughout all of the Millikan classrooms during the 2025-2026 school year.
Sincerely,
Samara Cunningham
Ezekiel Zaldivar • Oct 25, 2023 at 10:53 am
October 23, 2023
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 11, 2023, Allison Richter wrote an article titled “Millikan Feels the Heat”. This article is well-written and effectively explains the issue of high temperatures and its impact on classes throughout Millikan High School. The use of various quotes shows that there is a growing sense of frustration among students and teachers on the issue of rising temperatures that make their learning environments less than ideal.
The article explains the future campus renovations that will include the addition of more air-conditioned buildings. This renovation is set to be completed by the 2025-2026 school year which still leaves around two years of excessive heat to be endured. I suggest adding possible temporary solutions or fixes that people can possibly utilize until this renovation is complete.
Overall, this article was well written short, and to the point while also providing adequate evidence that paints a good picture of the overall issue.
Sincerely,
Ezekiel Zaldivar
Daniel Flores • Oct 25, 2023 at 10:52 am
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 11, 2023, Allyson Richter wrote an article titled “Millikan Feels the Heat”. This article was very well written due to the fact that it touched on the impact of the heat for not only the students but also how it impacts teachers as well. I even like that the publisher had gotten primary source evidence by talking to Millikan students and getting their input on the situation. They also even spoke to a teacher to get her input on how the heat effects her giving us a viewpoint on how teachers that have little to no access to air conditioning might feel.
In addition, I appreciate how much information the article gave while also keeping it very minimal. I love how they gave their information direct and got straight to the point. The simplicity and amount of information given made it a very enjoyable article to read while not consuming too much of my time.
In conclusion, The article was very informative and very relevant. Being a Millikan student I appreciate that this issue was addressed however I am unhappy that the issue will be resolved when I leave Millikan. Great Article, keep up the amazing work Allyson!
Sincerely,
Daniel Flores
Isabella Alcala • Oct 25, 2023 at 10:50 am
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 11, 2023, Allyson Richer wrote an article titled, “Millikan Feels the Heat”. Richer had written a short summary of how Millikan High School students and teachers feel about the extreme heat with no air conditioning classrooms. She did a very good job interviewing people who had different views and opinions on how they deal with non-AC classrooms during the heatwaves. Richer did interest the intended audience (Millikan students/teachers) by telling them next school year they will start a campus wide renovation and put in more air conditioning. This excites me because as a Millikan student I relate to this article because sometimes the heat can be so extreme it can be hard to even learn. Now that Richard gave us hope that they will eventually fix the problem is great news.
Although she gives many examples of how people feel about the heat inside a classroom; I wish there was more information about how hot the classrooms really are temperature wise. Mrs.Sharp, a teacher Richard had interviewed in the article addressed that the classrooms actually get hotter than the actual temperature outside. This is a great way to put in perspective what students who don’t have air conditioning have to deal with.
This short article was able to summarize both what students and teachers experience during the heatwaves in a few short paragraphs. That’s very impressive, let alone great for other people to be able to relate too because more than half of Millikan’s buildings don’t have air conditioning.
Sincerely, Isabella Alcala
Michael Bravo • Oct 25, 2023 at 9:08 am
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 11, 2023, Allyson Richter wrote an article titled “Millikan feels the heat”. I like how she explains the situation, and what temporary solutions are in place. Some examples she mentions include ceiling fans and tinted windows.
I personally would have liked to see an explanation as to why the problem won’t be fixed until the 2024-2025 school year. She did mention what kind of permanent solutions there will be, such as the “addition of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system”.
I admire how she received input and opinions from several different people, to give a better idea of what the situation is like. She talked to two separate students and even a math teacher. She also included some pictures that help create a clearer picture. I think she should have included something about what she thinks of the whole situation. I would have liked to hear more varied input and see what the author actually believes.
I think this was a very professional and well written article, and while it was relatively short, I think it succeeded in conveying the proper information.
Sincerely, Michael Bravo
Kate Goldsworthy • Oct 25, 2023 at 8:52 am
The author accurately depicts the sweaty miserable feeling of not being able to escape the heat while at school. I’m sure that many Millikan students and staff members can relate to the horrible days where even shorts and a T-shirt will not protect oneself from the monstrosity of the blazing heat. The author does an excellent job of putting these miserable days at Millikan into words. I also appreciate how the author collected quotes and experiences from a wide variety of people. There were statements from not only the students, but the teachers and staff as well. I appreciate the author including all of this in her article, because it lets us see how truly everyone feels about this problem.
When I read that there are plans to bring A.C. into the Millikan classrooms, I felt extremely excited. However, as I read on it was revealed that only the current Millikan freshman and sophomores will be able to enjoy the new renovations. It is unfortunate that the author did not state this in the beginning of the article, leaving the audience with a false sense of hope for cooler days at Millikan. I would suggest that the author would explain this at the beginning of the article, and discuss more of the reasons why air conditioning units can’t be installed sooner. It also would be appreciated if there was more of a description of the solutions to the heat problem, rather than just a description of the problem.
Noah Perez • Oct 25, 2023 at 8:52 am
The spread of awareness that the heat has become unbearable is much appreciated and to ensure that we do in fact receive the air conditioning from Long Beach Unified School District is even more vital as the temperature rises. Dealing with record breaking heat in both the beginning and end of the year, when school is seemingly most important, can make it really hard to focus. The pressure of finals and AP testing on top of the fact that we don’t have sustainable ways to cool down may allow for students not to perform at their best.
In the coming years, temperatures seem as if they will only rise and we need solutions that will not only last us temporary sustainment as well. Sure the AC will help us in the remainder of our high school years, however to reflect on the global temperatures rising will be important for future generations of students and people. Ensuring we do our best to preserve the environment we currently have and to restore ecosystems we have lost is our best choice when it comes to long term solutions. To ensure these solutions, we must make sure our votes in the future align with dismantling the huge carbon emissions that big corporations still allow.
Understanding what we can do, now, is vital to the protection of our world’s wellbeing. Starting with ensuring the safety of our students at Millikan High School is very important, but we should remember to look at the bigger picture. I appreciate the awareness of the drastically rising temperatures that make the heat hard to escape, and appreciate the various sources that were utilized in the article that aided the evidence. The article is the beginning of what is necessary to spread these topics of concern.
Sincerely,
Noah Perez
Samantha Pemari Macanlalay • Oct 24, 2023 at 1:59 pm
Richter’s article brings up an incredibly relevant concern within Millikan’s classrooms. The lack of air conditioning affects not only students’ but teachers’ environment as well. She includes the opinions from the Millikan community on this topic which express that people are not comfortable enough in their current learning conditions. Despite the concerned tone, Richter ends the article with an uplifting tone. She includes the information that in the next school year, there will be renovations that the school can look forward to that will provide a permanent solution to the current room conditioning problems. Her mention of the LBUSD’s 2022 Facility Master Plan also expands this concern to other classroom concerns throughout the district. It would improve this article if she were to use this later expansion to add on with opinions from students attending other schools within our district. This article was very informative and allows people to have a better insight into the conditions our community is currently struggling with.
Sincerely,
Samantha Pemari Macanlalay
Cody Ekblad • Oct 24, 2023 at 1:58 pm
Throughout the article the author uses descriptive language and various quotes from current students at millikan highschool to demosntrate how the bad weather conditions and the non effective cooling techniques there do not help to students learn, but instead causes them to loose focus due to bad learning conditions. One concern that I have after reading that article is that, does this article really make a difference. Her points are very true and the average person would agree with all of them but will it really change the situations here at millikan and was this shared with a person or a group of people who could help make millikan a cooler environment for students to increase quality of life and learning capabilities. One correction that I would offer would for there to be more actual evidence of this extraordinary heat within classes such as a thermometer placed in a classroom without AC or working fans and find the results. Another way to gain better evidence on this subject would be if a teacher made a test and had the same group of students take a test in a really hot stuffy classroom then also take it in a cooler AC classroom. This could release quality evidence based on the results/ test scores and would also be a great point to bring up to the board of education. Also certain teachers also choose to have to classroom to be warmer because they stay in it all day, and students who have to run around all day going from class to class, taking test after test really dont get a break when it comes down to hiding from the heat. To conclude the health and conditions for students learning should be the number one priority of schools.
Orlando Mayorga • Oct 24, 2023 at 1:55 pm
I appreciate the time and effort taken into finally addressing a problem that most of us here at Millikan have to deal with. I think that out of all of our concerns, the heat is very easily one of the most problematic, yet least voiced. At the time that I am writing this, I sit on the top floor of the 400 building. Mr. Wilson’s classroom does not have AC, nor do the rest of the classrooms in this building. Although there are multiple fans constantly running in here, they do not do enough to significantly reduce the afternoon heat. It is somewhat endured in the morning but usually during lunch and thereafter does the heat actually become bothersome and unbearable. It gets to a point where it actually begins to interfere with students’ education and our abilities to concentrate. I appreciate what the staff and teachers have tried to do in addressing these problems like bringing in water dispensers into all the classrooms. However, I feel like action on AC implementation should have started a lot sooner. It’s not just recently that this has become a problem for us. That being said, I think that this article did a good job of highlighting our concerns and I’m sure it brought great relief to many of the students and staff that will be here once that is completed.
Annamarie Truong • Oct 24, 2023 at 11:53 am
This article showcases one of the biggest issues on campus, the scorching heat in classrooms wonderfully. She interviews multiple people; a junior, a senior, and a teacher. By bringing in different perspectives she represents the Millikan community better. The teacher that Richter brought in teaches in the 300 building, one of Millikan’s most hottest buildings. Showing that teachers also have an opinion and something to say on this heat issue make it seem that she isn’t just including the students in her article but also the Millikan staff. Ms. Sharp, a teacher from the 300 building, in the article says, “‘So typically my class can run five to ten degrees hotter than what is outside’”. During the summer heat, this will be intolerable as the temperature rises to the high nineties to hundreds. It will be impossible for students and staff to survive this heat. Though she brings hope to current freshmen, sophomores, and staff in the conclusion, about how they will soon be getting AC in 2025-2026.
A small suggestion to this article would be to bring in freshmen and sophomores, to see their perspectives of the heat issue and their opinions on the incoming AC in 2025-2026. By bringing in two more interviewees she can broaden the representation of the Millikan community. She could also bring in some staff like the principal or someone in the 200 building, which is another hot building on campus, for a bigger representation. Overall, she captures the heat issue on campus wonderfully, and she addresses the incoming solution to it.
Elianni Rodriguez • Oct 24, 2023 at 11:52 am
This article highlights the importance of air conditioning during hot days and how students, teachers, and staff members are feeling the effects of this heat wave. I praise the author for including the different experiences and issues of people all throughout campus and not only focusing on the students. Everyone deserves to attend school or work in an environment where they are comfortable and content. It is unfortunate to hear that students have little to no classes with air conditioning. I can’t imagine the discomfort of having to do classwork during a heat wave all day without any sort of breeze or coolness. One thing I’d like to suggest is to include the issue of the lack of air conditioning or fans in the big and small gyms. Student-athletes also feel the struggle of practicing in the heat if they’re scheduled to practice during the hottest time of the day.
Sincerely,
Elianni Rodriguez
Jacob Binder • Oct 24, 2023 at 11:51 am
This article does a good job of highlighting the difficulties that everyone faces on campus. Without AC, the learning environment experiences a negative reaction, as more students and even teachers are focused on the heat rather than focusing on the lesson or particular assignment that the class is working on. This is a problem as us students at Millikan start later than other schools, already putting us behind for AP tests. We need to address this problem sooner than later and Richter does a good job at mentioning the details, saying that AC will be added everywhere on campus by 2025-2026. Having AC coming in the next few years is great, but students are expressing their discomfort now, saying change is necessary. Richter takes information from students and teachers, giving us a big perspective on what everyone is thinking. Millikan has started taking incentives, adding the water dispensers to classes, but sadly, this does not do much temperature wise. It is a good thing that Millikan is taking action though, as it shows the school somewhat cares about this issue. Overall, the soon-to-be addition of AC is something that is very necessary and something that will benefit the students in upcoming years.
Owen • Oct 24, 2023 at 11:51 am
I enjoyed reading about the problem Millikan staff and students are dealing with concerning the hot weather. Almost every student has at least one class without air conditioning, which can be extremely uncomfortable for students and staff. I was also delighted to hear that Millikan will be renovating and installing new air conditioning units. Although this is amazing to hear, juniors and seniors will most likely never benefit from the renovations. This means for the next two years students will have to deal with the extreme California heat. Many juniors and seniors have gone most of their lives in school without air conditioning, as many elementary schools and middle schools were also renovated with air conditioning the years after these students graduated. Overall, I think this article properly expressed the heat problem and furthermore how it affects the staff as well as students. Although juniors and seniors will not benefit, the underclassmen are likely excited to hear about the future renovations.
Danielle Hitt • Oct 24, 2023 at 11:51 am
The article does an excellent job at bringing the issue regarding heat to light by getting input from multiple groups of people. By highlighting both the experience of teachers and students it shows this is a problem that has had a negative impact on nearly everyone on campus. I would, however, like to suggest possibly reviewing the quote given by Georgia Everman when she states, “I had to go home last week because it was too hot”. While this quote could’ve been an accurate depiction of her own personal experience, it is not a representation on how the common student feels. The classrooms have been hot but most students don’t find it unbearable, just uncomfortable. Including a quote that better represents the majority of students could better portray the message in the arctic, and also allow the reader to relate more with the topic.
Also, mentioning what steps the school and district is taking to deal with the heat was an excellent addition. It gives current students insight that their problems are not going undetected and their concerns have been heard. I would, however, like to suggest mentioning the new water fountains that have been added to the classrooms. Now having constant access to cold water has allowed students to feel more comfortable in a stuffy classroom.
All in all, I really enjoyed this article and coverage on the extreme heat we are experiencing in the classrooms.
Louella Kingman • Oct 24, 2023 at 11:48 am
This article was really interesting to read, especially because of how relevant it has been this year. I appreciated the inclusion of the student and teachers comments about the heat, which I completely agreed with. It really is starting to become unbearable and personally I think it’s about time the school started adding better cooling systems. The addition of the comment by Georgia Everman was particularly good at showing this. If students are having to actually leave school because they cannot stand the temperature of their classroom, it’s clearly a very serious issue. Overall, this article was expertly written. The opening is enthralling and made me personally want to keep reading, and as I mentioned previously the addition of quotes from the writers peers and teachers allowed me to understand that other students are experiencing similar problems and frustrations that I have been experiencing. The way Richter shared good news about the progress in Millikan getting AC at the end of the article was also a good touch. It certainly made me feel better about the current situation and I’m sure it had the same effect on other readers.
Kailyn Khamkhensouvann • Oct 24, 2023 at 10:13 am
Dear Corydon Editor,
This article was well written with keen insight into how Millikan has faced the rise in temperatures. I enjoyed reading the article as it was not only easy to read and understand, but also had a loose format that disregarded the uptight nature of formal writing. It was quick, concise, and short that made for a good quick read rather than the feeling derived from reading a long essay or informational text. It also had a well rounded perspective that highlighted the feelings and reactions students, as well as teachers, had in October heat. The diverse representation of viewpoints, gained through direct social interactions, was one I enjoyed seeing in an article.
Although I felt this was a good view on this topic, certain aspects, such as tone, could be rearranged to create a more engaging perspective. As I stated, this article has a loose format, but it may be neglecting its “pop” factor that makes it stand out and maintains interest with the audience. I believe that this could be achieved through different wording, sentence structure, or writing format. I enjoyed the easygoing tone of this article, but there could have been more eye-catching aspects that would keep the reader’s attention for non-readers like me.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this article and its unique approach in representing different views on the topic. I hope to see more articles published in the future.
Kaden Serdengecti • Oct 24, 2023 at 10:10 am
Ritcher’s article was well-written and was a clear, easy read. I didn’t have to stop and reread in order to understand what she was trying to convey. I was surprised that she didn’t mention the new addition of water dispensers in most, if not all classrooms across campus. These new water fountains have been vital in staying cool for students as well as encouraging them to stay hydrated.
In the first line of the article, Ritcher could’ve maybe replaced the phrase “very hot” because the adverb “very” can seem less professional and doesn’t generally a great description of the idea. Words such as “scalding or torrid” would’ve been a more descriptive word that better describes the hot environment of classrooms this year.
The process of installing air conditioning throughout all of the classrooms is an intensive process. This begs the question will students remain on campus during renovation, or will certain grade levels be moved to other locations?
Ritcher’s article was clear and her usage of student and facility commentary provides a greater sense of what the population of Millikan is thinking and enduring this school year.
Vickie Lam • Oct 24, 2023 at 10:05 am
This article really captures the importance of the heat wave and the problems of our classrooms. I wholeheartedly agree with the students and teachers comments. I’m glad to see more articles confirming the add on of ac’s next year. What I am concerned about is the broken fans and rising heat in classrooms. Will the school get rid of the fans after the replacements of ac’s? If the fans aren’t working they should be taken down as it can be seen as a danger. Another topic you can add into the article is that classrooms have water fountains now, I’ve seen many students using them and it is also a great substitute while we wait for ac’s. Especially in the heat, if you forgot your water it’s a great relief to know we have cold water in classrooms. Other than that, the article is comforting to know we are getting new ac’s and some improvement in the learning environment.
Sincerely, Vickie Lam
Morgan Zimmerman • Oct 24, 2023 at 10:05 am
This article highlights a very relevant issue that’s being felt by everyone throughout the Millikan campus. Reading this article helped me feel like my voice was being heard by other students who felt the same way, which I might not have known without reading it. Playing a sport has also changed how the heat affects me throughout the day. I’ve found myself feeling more sluggish during and after practice and needing more water to feel hydrated. Something I would suggest is adding a quote from other school athletes on how this continuous classroom heat affects their performance and play.
While the quotes from students and teachers help to convey the message being written, one’s validity is seriously doubtful. Everman’s quote stating she had to leave school because of the heat is understandable, but seems exaggerated. Yes, the heat can get to be too much at some points, but as long as we are doing our jobs as humans and staying hydrated and eating healthy, these hot temperatures should not be forcing us to miss class. I would suggest checking the reliability of Everman’s quote, and reconsidering using it.
I also like the implementation of the district’s plan to renovate our buildings and add new AC units. I would like to see some quotes, especially from teachers whose classrooms are located in AC-less buildings, explaining people’s discomfort with the long-awaited air conditioning in many of our buildings. We, as well as 17 other schools in LBUSD, are experiencing these same feelings about the heat, and maybe seeing some quotes from other schools would be helpful as well in convincing this renovation plan to be higher on our school’s priority list.
Stevie Sheridan • Oct 24, 2023 at 10:04 am
October 24, 2023
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 11, 2023, Allyson Richter wrote an article titled “Millikan Feels the Heat.” I enjoyed the article’s representation of how all the students at Millikan are feeling, bringing attention to the issues of no air conditioning in classrooms. Almost all students at Millikan have classes with no air conditioning and with the Southern California heat it makes it almost impossible to learn and pay attention. This article brings excellent attention to how the students and even teachers are feeling, interviewing the staff and students themselves was a great way to have people’s voices heard. I also liked that she had mentioned the plans for the addition of air conditioning in the buildings. It gives hope to the future students and staff that soon the classrooms will become a cool learning environment.
Although the article is relatable to every student on campus, more than half of the students currently on campus won’t even be able to experience the air conditioning. With the juniors and seniors leaving before AC will be installed, it would be nice to be given a solution that could work now for the current students. Overall I feel that this article properly expressed the feelings of the students and the intensity of the heat that they sit through while being expected to learn. The fact that the AC has not only affected the students but also the teachers show just how intense this goes.
Sincerely,
Stevie Sheridan
Alyssa Carrillo • Oct 24, 2023 at 10:02 am
October 24, 2023
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 11, 2023, Allyson Richter wrote an article titled “Millikan Feels the Heat”. This article does an excellent job of acknowledging how hot classrooms get during the warmer months of the year. She does a remarkable job of highlighting the problem by interviewing different people and their opinions on classroom heat. One that surprised me would be the interview with Ms. Sharp, a teacher in the 300 building with no AC. Ms. Sharp states, “When you pack a whole bunch of kids in the classroom… the warmth, the heat, gets worse than what the outside temperature is.” This claim shocked me because I know how hard it can be to focus in the heat and when a classroom, which should be cooler than outside, is hotter than the outside, it’d be so hard to stay focused and succeed in a class. At the end of the article, Richter informs the reader that there will soon be an end to the problem next year when classrooms will go under renovation and AC will be installed. Which I am sure brings relief to a lot of Millikan students.
Sincerely,
Alyssa Carrillo
Diego Castillo • Oct 24, 2023 at 9:59 am
The article does a good job of highlighting one of the major problems with our campus. Not nearly enough classrooms have air conditioning, and the weather in 2023 has been hotter than it has been in years passed. It would not be too much of a stretch of the imagination to say it is cooler outside in the bright sun than it is in the muggy classrooms on the same day. While the new water dispensers are a nice touch, they don’t add much in temperature relief.
It is also unfortunate to note that the temperatures in the fall months of this year have brought stints of mid-July weather where the high temperatures have been reaching as high as 90 degrees. To combat this, the new air conditioning system is a good fix, and would be a worthwhile investment for Millikan rather than adding individual units to each classroom, and the students of the next few years will have a much more enjoyable experience on hot school days.
jack brown • Oct 24, 2023 at 9:58 am
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 11, 2023, Allyson Richter wrote an article titled “Millikan feels the Heat”. This article talks about the very real problem of heat at Millikan. The article is organized in a straightforward way that leaves everyone feeling relieved that we are finally getting air conditioning. The interviews with Millikan students and teachers give insight into their own personal opinions on the heat at Millikan, especially with their experiences and being at Millikan for a while without air conditioning. I leave the article feeling glad that we will finally have air conditioning for future students, even though junior and seniors will not be able to experience it and still have to deal with the heat. The article was very well written and informational. The article also made the students and staff here feel heard on the issue. One small suggestion I would have is to have a few more interviews with students who have classes in the 300 building because that is by far the hottest building here at Millikan.
Sincerely,
Jack Brown
Vincent Madden • Oct 24, 2023 at 9:55 am
This article addresses the long held concern of the overwhelming heat that seems to take over Millikan every year. Millikan students and staff have dealt with this annual heat wave without air conditioning in a large portion of the classrooms on campus. I like how this article didn’t just focus on the students’ concerns, but the teachers’ worries as well. It nicely shows how our students and faculty are all one big community with a common ground issue. I feel represented as the constant heat at Millikan has made me, and all my peers more fatigued during the later periods of the school day. We will all be happy to finally see a defined date for a permanent solution to this seemingly never-ending heat problem.
One concern that me, and surely many others have is how the installment of air conditioning in our buildings will affect the 2024-2025 school year. Will the classes in these buildings, or even the entire Millikan student body be relocated during construction? Although these details may not be entirely worked out, it would be nice for them to at least be acknowledged. However, this is a really great article that represents the entire Millikan community, as we are all struggling this year with the heat.
Luke Gossage • Oct 24, 2023 at 9:54 am
The article written explained so much about the true feelings of the teachers and students like myself about the millikan heat pandemic. The article does an excellent job of providing information and evidence directly from students and teachers which the writer interviewed. The interviews and responses would greatly help outsiders understand the real feeling and problems that our students and teachers face during the day. Being a millikan student it was a massive relief to hear about the upcoming changes of our schools AC systems. Unfortunately being a junior at Millikan I will not be able to fully enjoy the changes of my school as I will graduate sooner than others may. Regardless I am still grateful that the changes will be made for my last year at this school and the next generations of millikan will get to enjoy the full benefits of the AC and cooling systems.
Although the reading was enthusiastic and reliving to read I had felt as if it was missing a few key factors of a perfect article. I felt as if the writer should have compared the heat to other schools and introduced the general uprising of our climate as the days are naturally getting hotter regardless of the AC or not. The AC does infact provide a lot of assistance in cooling down, it should not only be millikan facing this same problem. I felt as if the article could reach a much larger audience.
In conclusion, I believe the article was outstanding and was very worthy of being posted in our school newspaper. I am glad that my feelings were able to be addressed by someone who feels the same way and my feelings were validated by others who have the same perspective.
Chukwuoma Uchegbulam • Oct 23, 2023 at 2:01 pm
October 23, 2023
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 19, 2023, Allyson Richter wrote an article titled “Millikan Feels the Heat”. This nicely written article helped express the feeling of many students and teachers when facing this dreadful October heat. The article does a great job when interviewing different students all over campus for their opinion on heat that they are all. I enjoyed the transition from students to teachers to show how we’re all just trying to beat the heat. When we are given the information about the priority project of new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning I think it helps us leave the article feeling hopeful.
Although the article’s strong point was the interview I feel as if a certain part of the school’s demographic was missing. The demographic I’m talking about is our school’s very own CSAs. With this specific group of staff that is constantly outside I feel like their input, if any, could be the most important.
In conclusion, your article was truly insightful and I believe so many more students, teachers, and staff should take time to carefully read and enjoy your article.
Sincerely,
Chukwuoma Uchegbulam
Fiona Rowe • Oct 23, 2023 at 2:01 pm
October 21, 2023
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 11, 2023 Allyson Richter wrote the article titled “Millikan Feels the Heat.” This article intelligently addresses the minds of students and teachers and their opinion about the no AC problem. It focuses on how, at Millikan, students have to deal with half, to the majority, of classes without AC. Just this year I have found this to be true as I only have 2 classes, out of the five with AC. This article addresses many of my complaints and the complaints of my fellow classmates and friends. Finally, it addresses how, even with the addition of fans, the class still remains five to ten degrees hotter. Since my first year at Millikan, from 2021-2022, I have always found it harder to focus in classes without AC. Especially after lunch, when the heat is the worst, I’ve found my physics class, with AC, easier to listen to. Rather than, my english class which has no AC at all.
Although I do love, and relate to this argument, I do think there are a few pieces that can be added. As they do address the students at Millikan’s feeling over the heat wave, they don’t address specific statistics of how the students behaved in a class with AC vs. a class without. I think that by adding statistics, it could better the argument by showing two plain differences in students’ attentiveness. Overall I feel that this article greatly speaks for all high school students at Millikan. The lack of AC has not only affected students and teachers well being, but also, their learning and teaching capacity.
Sincerely,
Fiona Rowe
Zoe A Van Gessel • Oct 23, 2023 at 1:55 pm
October 23, 2023
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 11, 2023, Allyson Richter wrote an article titled “Millikan Feels the Heat”. I enjoyed the awareness of the heat and the mention that not all students get to have the pleasure of air conditioning in their classes. I would have liked to see a mention of the dress code and how we can’t wear tank tops for girls. The dress code makes the heat even worse because as girls the clothing items we wear to cool off aren’t allowed at school. This mention would have validated a lot of girls reading this article. I am not sure if your writer is allowed to evaluate or criticize a school policy however I would be more engaged if it was touched on.
I also thoroughly understand the student quotes embedded throughout because we are the ones dealing with it. However, I severely question the first quote used by Georgia Everman. She states,”I had to go home last week because it was too hot.” This doesn’t represent the reality of the vast majority of students and also could promote ditching classes because of the weather. My suggestion would be to just take out that one quote because the rest of Everman’s quotes really backed up the claim.
At the end of the article, I appreciated the mention of a permanent resolution, even if the resolution doesn’t apply to half of Millikan students. I propose writing about solutions that could be implemented right now. The air condition installment won’t be happening til next year and won’t be done until the following year. This could be frustrating to many students, so touching on a solution that will affect them would give some excitement for the future within many students.
This article was well written with an appealing tone shown in the last sentence. Great job to the writer!
Sincerely,
Zoe Van Gessel
James McCullagh • Oct 23, 2023 at 1:48 pm
October 23, 2023
Dear Corydon Editor,
On October 11, 2023, Allyson Richter wrote an article titled “Millikan Feels the Heat”. I really appreciate that she took the time to finally figure out when we were going to get air conditioning. We have been promised it in the past but got delayed so it’s good to finally have a set date to look forward to. As a junior in high school I have also been feeling the crazy heat. It’s always a dread having to go to my classes without air conditioning, especially when I already feel hot. I also know that some students have a lot more air conditioned classes than others. I have some friends that have only one air conditioned class in their whole day. It will definitely be great news for all of them to know that they might not have to endure the heat like they have been. Although, I’m a little sour that my little brother will not have to experience the same heat that everyone else had to.
Sincerely,
James McCullagh