Puma statues added as this year’s senior gift

On the first day of every new school year, there is always a new addition noticed: the senior gift. From the class of 2013, it was a mural in the main gym. The class of 2014 and 2015 gave us our school crest painted in the C and the F building respectively. This year, the class of 2016’s gift will be two puma statues in the courtyard.
With the help of some administrators, the Student Government (StuGo) seniors sat down to decide on what this year’s gift will be.
A decision was finally made after getting inspiration from another Chandler school.
“We really wanted a statue,” Student Body President Olivia Thompson said. “We saw [that] Basha has a statue of a bear in their courtyard and we thought that was a really cool idea.”
After the approval from Principal Dan Serrano, two puma statues were decided to be the senior gift.
The pumas will be on rocks, looking as though they are crawling down them. Recycled cast aluminum will be used to shape the pair of mascots, giving off a bronze appearance.
They will be placed in front of the pillars connected to the administration building. A plaque will also be placed on the statues, indicating that they are a gift from the class of 2016.
The installment of the statues is scheduled to take place over summer, win June, so incoming students and current underclassmen can expect to be be greeted at the gates by both statues on their first day.
Many questioned why the seniors were not more involved and did not pay for it this year.
However, according to Thompson, the senior class has never paid for the senior gift in past years.
Instead, it is paid out of the student activities account. Money is set aside every year specifically for the gift. This year the gift cost about $2500, spending $500 less than what was originally set aside.
Seniors were not involved because, as Thompson explains, “it would be difficult to involve all of them in the process and reach a similar decision” and “the current StuGo seniors have been elected to represent our class and this is one of those times that we represent our class.”
The decision resulted in mixed responses, with some seniors feeling happy with the surprise and others wishing for a greater involvement from the class.
“I don’t think the seniors should be involved in any way because it ruins the surprise,” senior Kirsten Olsen said.
One argument was related to the hefty price tag, as some agreed that it would be more personal if the payment was made directly by the class as a whole rather than from a set budget.
“I wish we [were] more involved in picking it out,” senior Maddie Kowalski said. “I would have paid a little bit for it if I had known about it.”
Despite the difference in opinion, the class of 2016 will surely be remembered by their final mark on the school.