Hundreds of students, teachers, and parents cheered today as Dorsey High School unveiled the first renovation in more than half a century.
The dank, dark gymnasium was rebuilt from the ground up. The scuffed floors and chipped paint were replaced with the green and white school colors, bleachers on both sides, lockers and an atrium overhead.
Orlando Johnson, assistant principal, explained the importance of the schools’ new facility, “You know, a lot of times people in the community may feel like resources are funneled to other places so it really sends a message that we care about you, we care about this community, and we care about your children, and we care about your children’s future.”
Everyone gathered inside the renovated gym to celebrate and break in the new facility. An especially positive moment for Dorsey, which is one of the lower performing schools in the LA unified school district.
Valerie Santana, a junior at Dorsey, commutes from Hacienda Heights and was excited to talk about the features within the new building, “We just received new classrooms for our magnet law and science so we have special classrooms for like robotics or like our courtroom so we can do stuff, its really cool.”
The new building even got an environmentally friendly rating.
Students inside new gymnasium.
Dorsey cheer squad.
Dorsey high school students.
Dorsey drill team.
Dorsey supporters and alumni.
Administrators getting ready to cut ribbon.