Cotter High School has been a successful educational institution for longer than a century. This school has stood on Catholic foundation and has tunneled through trials and tribulations with a group of administration members and teachers concerned for broadening the minds of students.

How can Cotter continue thriving for the next hundred years?

Firstly, Cotter should ultimately get rid of the dress code and go for uniforms. This is has been a hot topic over the course of the last half-decade, with revisions, both beneficial and ridiculous, coming every year.

In the past, I have been voice on the opposite side, voting to keep the dress code. However, in a school where students are unable to show their school spirit, despite not having a uniform, I have decided that it is best to unify our dress. I’ve never heard of a school without a uniform that isn’t allowed to have even just a weekly spirit day. Are we trying to say we don’t want to stand up for our own school?

On that topic, if there will be no change in dress code, loosen up for the Spirit Weeks (i.e. Homecoming and Winterfest). These are meant to be fun for students. We are substituting frivolity for nonpolitical correctness. In this case, we are saying “our kids can have fun, but how DARE they wear leggings and yoga pants.” Let’s be adults here. As long as no one’s inappropriate parts are visible, I think we are okay.

Secondly, Cotter should start making athletes pay for their participation in sports. This is a very unpopular opinion among peers and past administrations. It’s saddening that we have come to the point where, once again, money is the motivation (word to Andre 3000). All too often I see students “try” something out (I hate that term) and never stick around for the end of the season. Let’s look at our football season: We started out with 33 guys on the field for the first day, already a relatively low number for any team, let alone a AA squad.

If memory serves, 5 players quit either after the first week or by mid-season for different reasons. This is unacceptable. We are teaching our athletes, who are supposed to be leaders on and off the field or court, that it’s okay to just quit when the going got tough. Placing a dollar amount on sports might not solve this crisis, but it would sure help.

Coach David Jewison had a saying: “If there were $1000 on that basketball right now, would you have fought harder for it?”

Thirdly, please allow more doors to be opened. This isn’t a cliche statement. Literally, open more doors in the winter. The walk back to lunch in the cold is absolutely miserable for everyone. High school students should be mature enough to recognize when classes are in session and when to be quiet. The only classroom directly by those junior high doors is the band room. They don’t have to be opened in fall or spring months, but please get us out of the snow. This would reduce the risk of frostbite, as well as keep kids and teachers happy.

Fourthly, keep adapting to technology. With the addition of Mr. Sobolewski and Mr. Treharne, Cotter as an institution has the capability of becoming a leader in the state as far as technological education. We must look to continue this trend of success in the next decade. Electronics and technology are going to be a very critical factor in the American economy in the near future.

Finally, switch up the lunch schedule every once in a while, and release the popular options more often. Grilled cheese days are a holiday because it’s the best meal, no question. However, it really doesn’t need to be a holiday. Rib sandwiches have a similar stigma about them. They are great, but rarely offered. I can recite to you by heart the schedule for lunch, every week:

• Monday: Pasta
• Tuesday: Tacos and burgers
• Wednesday: Sandwich bar
• Thursday: Usually something with fries/tots (Thursday is the best lunch day)
• Friday: Pizza (and pasta during football season)

Why are Thursdays the best? Because it’s unpredictable. Yesterday was the first time in my six year tenure at Cotter I struggled to make a decision between two lines. I wish there were more lunch days like that.

I don’t mean to fire any shots or offend anybody. I think Cotter is an incredible educational society. The curriculum and teachers put students in the best position to prepare for college. Much like any machine, things need to be tuned up or continue to shine.