The TWHS community is still buzzing following the recent opening of the newest part of the school building. The new wing, Area C, which opened to all students on November 13th, houses the commons, lunchroom, and media center, among other facilities like art and music classrooms. The opening of this new space marks the end of another phase in the long process of building the new school. As expected, students have a lot of things to say about the new space and the construction process.
Senior Gwyneth Webster has witnessed the process and been affected by it during her time at TWHS.
“I think it has been unfortunate timing for me,” Webster said. “I was a Freshman when it all started, and I’m a senior when it’s going to end. So for me, at times it kind of sucked, but I think for future students it will be worth it.”
Many students, especially upperclassmen, feel that the construction process has been more trouble than it’s worth.
“I think it would have been better if it hadn’t started while I was going here”, said Noah Hunter, another senior at TWHS. “If it had finished my freshman year, that would have been cool. But I’m not going to get to fully enjoy the new building”.
The changes that come with the construction process have also been a struggle for some throughout their high school experience.
“The construction’s really throwing me off,” said senior Ashton Hoke. “I don’t know where anything is going to be. Everything is going to be scattered around the new building, there’s no color anywhere, and I just like the old building more. It will take time to get used to the new one.”
These new additions mostly affect the seniors of Thomas Worthington due to the fact that they had to use the old building for half of their high school career and were used to the visually warmer, antiquated space. The old building had color and character, with student art on the walls, and different banners hung up matching how the areas of the building were being used. However, juniors and underclassmen have been in the new building longer than in the old–if they were even there at all– which makes them seem to favor the aesthetic of the new building. Although the construction has been a challenge for students, they acknowledge that it has come with some huge upgrades. Both staff and students are impressed with the scale of the common spaces.
“The commons area is the best, there are a lot of areas for students to sit inside or outside, and food options are more diverse” Jeff Fluellen, hall monitor at TWHS said.
In spite of the improvements, students are not the only ones who have had to adapt during the construction process. many staff members have also worked hard to make the transition easier for all.
“The new building being constructed has made my role shift as I have been more focused on logistics and safety concerns of students getting to and from the new building to the LEM,” Brett Shaffer, Assistant Principal said. “My role has been really unique over the past couple years. I’ve learned a lot.”
Although the old building will be missed, the new building should hopefully make a difference to students’ learning and become an enjoyable place for students to be. Most of the senior 2026 class has experienced not only construction in high school, but middle school as well. And although the building is a lot more modern the old building holds many memories from the senior class.
“It looks amazing, but you can definitely tell it’s not done yet,” Logan Ament (‘26) said. “It’s like we are living in a preview of what the school will be, not what it is right now.”
Mr. Shaffer acknowledges the changes have felt strange for students.
“While we do know that the hallways and some other areas are more grey, it’s just the baseline,” Shaffer continued. “It’s where we’re starting–there are a lot of cool things we plan to do, but we’re just not there yet because the space is still being built. It has been a big transition for our whole community, but we know it is a worthwhile and positive change in the long run.”
This is another common theme, especially among the class of 2026.
“It’s still very clear that it is not finished,” Webster said. “It’s just to a level where we can be in it. It’s hard to wait that long and get a half-finished product before we graduate.”
As TWHS moves closer to fully completing the rebuild, students are already thinking about the legacy this project will have as the old building is slowly being demolished.
“The newer part is a lot more interesting, the cafeteria is a lot nicer and should be good for the underclassman,” Ament said. “Our legacy [as seniors] will be that we are good at adapting to change.”
