Courtesy of San Benito High School:
San Benito High School on Tuesday morning celebrated the grand opening of the student pathway plaza that connects main campus to south campus in an area where the campus pools previously stood.
Superintendent Dr. Shawn Tennenbaum said the project provides the campus “with a safe, green and aesthetically-pleasing outdoor space for our students and staff to enjoy each and every day. We could not be more proud of the hard work by all who were involved in bringing this project to fruition and continuing our efforts to enhance the learning and working environment for our students and staff members.”
After thanking the leadership of the district Board of Trustees, the support of the voters of San Benito County, and the partnership with contractors, subcontractors, architects and SBHS staff members, Tennenbaum welcomed Brad Fannin of Blach Construction and Amy Starr of Aedis Architects, both of whom were involved with the project.
Starr noted that the staff at SBHS “are 100 percent committed to changes that directly improve the experience of their students, and we are lucky to work on projects that have such immediate and tangible impacts on the community.” She said that the pool infill project is the latest step in the District’s facilities master plan, which has moved forward through a combination of voter-approved bond measures and district funds.
“In the near future, the old CTE (Career Technical Education) building will be replaced with an extension of this student quad and a brand new, state-of-the-art multi-purpose building will serve as the focal point of student life,” Starr said. “In the meantime, we now have a safe travel path for students to cross north to south campus without having to roam the outskirts.”
Beyond just providing a safe travel zone for students, the pathway features mature trees and ample covered seating.
“The entire community should be extremely proud of these upgrades, which no doubt will have a large effect on the quality of life and education in Hollister,” Starr said.
SBHS Assistant Principal Laurie Chavez, who is responsible for student safety and discipline within the District, said the pathway allows safe passage for students on and throughout campus while no longer requiring them to walk along Monterey and West streets, where traffic is still present during the school day. Nash Road, where it bisects campus between West and Monterey streets, is closed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, allowing students to cross the street without waiting for or interacting with vehicular traffic.
“They can use this plaza to travel through campus internally,” Chavez said, without having to exit campus gates to access the 300s or 400s classrooms or attend student activities or athletics. “Students will no longer have to face the challenging congestion walking through the O’Donnell Gym hallways during break and lunch.”
The campus community, she noted, “ will be able to explore, learn and grow in this plaza. We are beginning to see school unity, higher levels of positive social behaviors and decreased incidents of violence due to the positive culture here at San Benito.”
