If only I had a magic wand… What would I do with this “magic wand,” you might ask? Well, there would be at least eight things I would like change about our beloved Freedom High School (in order of importance) which I believe would improve our school as a whole.

1) The division of students: 

Students should not come to school feeling like there is any kind of division. No one should feel compelled to be retained in one area of the school. I only say this because often times, when walking around our campus, you might notice a clear separation among ethnic groups. This is not the fault of anyone at Freedom and maybe nobody really knows why it seems to happen, but the bottom line is- students should feel welcome anywhere on campus at anytime.

2) Disrespect of the school campus: 

Every student needs to take pride in their campus. Keeping our campus clean would show just how much we care for ourselves and our school. When people visit Freedom for the events we host, the first thing they notice is the condition of our campus. We need to represent ourselves and our school in the best way possible. Our job as Patriots is to throw trash away in the trash cans,  refrain from writing on the walls, stop and report any defacing of the walls of Freedom, and try to maintain the cleanliness of our school in any way possible.

3) School spirit: 

Being SGA president, this is something I constantly think about. This year, I think we’ve definitely made some great strides in improving school spirit. So far, I have witnessed great participation in Spirit Week and phenomenal attendance at the Homecoming Football Game against Spoto. However, there is always room for improvement. Take matters into your own hands and be the change you want to see in your school. I want people to be more active when deciding Spirit Week days, and be active in in supporting the sports teams at home games. School spirit may seem small, but it plays a large role in how much we enjoy coming to school.

4) Attendance:   

Students should feel excited to come to school and learn each and every day, so it’s scary to see that Freedom High school has one of the lowest attendance rates in Hillsborough County.  This not only looks bad upon those individuals, but the school as a whole. Students need to recognize the importance of going to school and make personal goals to improve their attendance.

5) Teacher investment: 

Being able to work with students is a blessing. Molding the minds of the future of our country and learning a thing or two along the way from your students is something many do not get to experience. As my coach always tells me, “you get out what you put in.” Teachers should feel committed to their students and invested in education. While students need to make more of an effort to participate in  teacher’s lessons and be good listeners, teachers should reciprocate.

6) All sports deserve credit: 

Did you know that Freedom High School has a 4-time District Champion Golf Team? Or perhaps that Freedom is home to several state-ranking wrestlers? If you shook your head no to both of these questions, it may be due to the lack of credit these athletes receive. Sports teams, no matter how small, should be celebrated for their accomplishments and glorified for their victories. Each team puts in just as much work as any other team. Showcasing what great sports our school has to offer will have nothing but good results. Attendance for home games and names on team rosters will only increase.

7) Parking lot problems: 

Every year it’s the same deal; students are horrified at the sight of increasing parking prices. Now I’m not saying the students are in the right here, but I will say that a compromise is in order. As students, we deserve to have a say in parking prices. With this, the complaints will begin to slow and faculty and students can co-exist in harmony in our beautiful parking lot.

8) Free the knees: 

Florida’s average temperature per year is 84 degrees… Just let that sink in. 84 degrees year-round. That seems almost unheard of. Considering this, there must be some reachable compromise about dress code. Girls can either wear jeans all day and sweat to death, or wear running shorts and be punished for it. Science tells us the hotter it gets, the quicker people are to anger. So why would we heat students up-literally and figuratively- to take it out on others? It seems downright insane. I’m all for the debate of being able to wear more climate-appropriate clothing.

Like I said, these problems range from minuscule to super significant.  Keep in mind this is merely my opinion, but I do feel several of these topics should be explored into further detail. But hey, I’m just sayin’.