It is not a secret that Ripon High School is on the older side of things. As amazing as this high school is, there are definitely a few improvements to be made around Ripon High.

Sophomore Natalie Mejia states, “…we want to look at Ripon High and for it to be really nice […] we’re Ripon, for God’s sake. Downtown and the school should be on the same level; like on how nice it should be.”

Ripon High is over 100 years old and is in definite need of a face-lift. A new paint job, more flowers, or better landscaping are just the beginning of possible ways to improve Ripon High. These changes could be completed if the student body were willing to participate in a Gardening Club or were able to receive the funding for new paint.

However, the issue of improvement does not solely lie within the school’s appearance, but in the classes offered and the way the school operates.

“It would be nice if we offered AP Chemistry for the people that want it. For the students that are interested in science, it sucks that AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, and Physics are the only ‘advance courses’ offered,” senior Craig Valdez stated.

Having another science class is just as beneficial as having another language option.

“I would add another language class because I want to be able to learn more in this school and be able to know other culture[s],” junior Evelynn Bernardino states.

Needless to say, Spanish is not the language for everyone. Some students may have an interest in German, French, or perhaps even Mandarin.

Perhaps adding a class or planting a tree is not what the bigger picture, regarding improvements, should be.

“I think we could use lockers, but there would have to be locker-checks […] Uniforms, I don’t like because our clothing is a form of our expression as who we are as people,” freshman Leah Van Dorst states.

Whether it is appearances, classes, lockers, or uniforms, the student body knows what it wants when it comes to Ripon High.

“We want people to feel like they belong and the best way to do that is by offering everything someone could want,” Valdez states.