Bonnie Neeper, a campus aid at VHS, was reportedly told by assistant principal, Ms. Eberhart, last Friday to talk to the students in the lower parking lot about the trash being left behind everyday. Neeper then went to the lower parking lot on Poli Street to explain the consequences of the numerous pieces of trash being left in the parking lot after lunch.

Bonnie said that if all the trash was not picked up by the end of lunch, the parking lot would be made off-limits during lunch. Students appeared surprised by this, though Neeper mentions that there were previous warnings. Supposedly the amount of trash being left in the lot is three to four times the amount from prior years.

In the past, there had been a trashcan placed closer to the middle cars, but Bonnie explained that this had not solved the problem. “The trash would be by the trashcan, not in it,” Neeper said. She added that there is only one janitor in charge of the parking lot, who is also in charge of the field and the area near the Tuttle Gym.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s yours, pick it up, and put it in the trash… or privileges will be revoked,” Neeper explains in hopes that students will begin to make better choices for the school campus.

In compliance with throwing away trash in the lower lot, the same is expected of students in the upper lot. Neeper and other VHS campus aides will be adding trash cans to the upper lot that should be used to dispose of trash and avoid excess trash on the floor of the parking lot.

In addition to students complying with the parking lot rules regarding trash, both the campus aides and assistant principal Mr.Cornwell have agreed to opening the gate by the auto shop in order to accommodate those who have to park in the upper lot. However, if trash is left behind after repeatedly being asked not to, this privilege will be revoked.

Also, in order for the gate to remain open the area must be used for it’s sole purpose of getting to and from the upper lot with ease. Cornwell shares that, “about ten years ago, the gate leading to the upper lot was closed because of students mistreating the area by littering, smoking, hanging out, and [starting] fights, so it was necessary to close it off to stop kids who shouldn’t be up there,” said Mr. Cornwell.

Cornwell hopes that by reopening the gate, students to be less hesitant to parking in the upper lot.