After over a year of construction and working around a changing schedule, the students of EHS will finally get to see the lights dim for winter concerts and fully experience plays and other assemblies. Continual change has remained constant over the past few years. With the new year slowly but surely approaching, we begin to wonder just how much 2023 will bring to the table. 

The remainder of the building renovations is set as one of the most anticipated improvements coming to EHS in 2023. For years, one of the biggest complaints from the students has been the lack of air conditioning in public areas. As the cold winter evenings turn into hot summer days, everyone will feel a pang of relief, as the push for air conditioning had finally been put into effect. No longer will lunchtimes be accompanied with discomfort during the warmer months of the school year. 

“I think air conditioning in the cafeteria is a necessity for students. The weather in the hotter months combined with the body heat of hundreds of students packed together in a small room can create an unpleasant and uncomfortable dining experience,” said Annalise Dantes ‘26.

But for some students, the changing of seasons also brings yet another challenge: College applications. 

For the sophomores turning into juniors, and the juniors turning into seniors, this time of year is nothing short of overwhelming. College slowly crept forward until their future suddenly stared them in the face. To combat the anxiety, the guidance department here at EHS provides a great variety of tools to aid first-generation college students and anyone else who is unfamiliar with the application process. An in-person college fair this year will finally be offered after the events of the pandemic, allowing students to explore their futures and plan ahead. 

In keeping with the academic spirit, some AP tests will also be offered digitally this year, despite being traditionally a pen-and-paper exam. This gradual digitization of evaluative exams is arguably a show of our dependence on technology.

 “There is so much being digitized, but it usually isn’t necessary,” said April Hererra ‘26, “Technology isn’t always the most reliable medium, and this could very easily be one of those times,” 

For students taking exams that require a written response, typing on a keyboard is often preferred over handwriting paragraphs within a limited time frame. 

For years to come, our changing school will continue to support our changing student body and education system—and with every change, our community will grow for the better. Amongst holiday cheer and anticipation for the new year, opportunities will slowly begin to present themselves in time for 2023.