Fresno Unified unveiled a shiny new gym and additional tennis courts at McLane High School on Monday, granting students better amenities and more practice space.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cI\u2019ve never felt so like pumped and energized before.\u201d \u2014 McLane High basketball player Demetrius Simon\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFor year, students within the McLane Community have struggled with access to facilities to allow them to have equitable opportunities,\u201d McLane Principal Brian Wulf said. \u201cIt\u2019s very exciting for us. It\u2019s very exciting for our community to have this opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new 15,500-square-foot gym provided an additional space for athletes to practice and compete. Prior to its opening, multiple sports teams had to share a single gym, causing scheduling conflicts. Now the school has two gyms, eliminating scheduling headaches for coaches and players.<\/p>\n
Often times, students were forced to travel to alternative gyms at middle schools for practice, while another team was completing in a game.<\/p>\n
And the space, built using Measure M funds, is more than just a nice upgrade. It is an investment in a school which had been cast aside, funding-wise.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis gym is so much more than a building,\u201d Superintendent Misty Her. \u201cIt\u2019s giving students at McLane a space that reflects their worth and reinforces positive campus culture. It\u2019s about equity and access.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new gym has installed a sense of pride in students with one remarking that it made him feel like he was arriving at a \u201crich school\u201d, McLane Vice Principal Ramiro Teran said.<\/p>\n
New Spaces for Students and the Community<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s not just for athletes. The space will be used for physical education classes and assemblies, there for all students to enjoy.<\/p>\n
Additionally, it will be available for community events and local organizations.<\/p>\n