It was a cloudy morning when junior Jacob Vickers walked into Huntley High.  He and many other students took on the task of helping out with the ribbon cutting ceremony.

The ribbon cutting ceremony took place April 30 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.  It began with speeches by Principal Scott Rowe and a few other people.  The ceremonial ribbon cutting followed.  Guest were then allowed to tour the building.  Children participated in a scavenger hunt and were awarded a t-shirt or a construction hat.  There were also science experiments in the new west wing.

According Rowe, the new west wing comprises of two floors with science labs, meeting areas for teachers, and classrooms.  The classrooms have furniture that saves space and allows for students to work with each other more productively.  The main attractions, however, were the labs.

“We created the science labs to be versatile,” said Rowe.  “When it’s lab time, the tables in the middle will push out to the side and create a ‘T’ and all of the gas and water will be on the edges.  You could theoretically use any of those science labs can be used for any science subject, whether it be Physics, Chemistry, or Biology.  We’re going to have our upper-level Project Lead The Way Engineering and Science classes in there.”

This is quite a transformation compared to three years ago when the construction of the football field had just started. The renovations improved the crowded-ness of the lunch room as well

“When I was a freshman, nothing was done or even started,” said Vickers.  “The spaces were very closed off and now it’s more open and more friendly.”

“During lunch, it was really crowded because there wasn’t a lot of seats for sitting with your friends,” said junior Allie Kriegler.

The new west wing will create a bridge to allow students to get from the Freshmen west wing to the upper and lower level science hallways.

“I think it’s going to be a great improvement because all the traffic that was in the main area is going to be sectioned off with the new addition, allowing for more students to get from one side of the wing to the other side,” said sophomore Colin Reed.

With its new construction updates, Huntley High hopes to provide students with easier access and a better educational experience.