Will Seniors Meet Goal to Hollywood Bowl?

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Kevin Flores in News, Uncategorized

Kevin Flores
Marcos Arellano
Chronicle Reporters
News

Despite facing many difficulties, seniors are still trying to sell all their snack boxes to fundraise enough money to graduate at the Hollywood Bowl.

A few weeks ago, seniors were forced to see the reality of how close they were to lose the right to graduate the at the Bowl. The costs to rent out the Bowl is an estimated $22,000 including the crew and equipment.  They were given options about the actions they could take, which were to fundraise, pay out of their own pocket, or host the graduation ceremony in the school’s auditorium. Many students were angered when they were told the news.

Most seniors who chose to fundraise have now chosen to pick up their boxes. About half of the boxes picked up have been sold so far.

“We have had 132 boxes checked out, but right now only half of that has been paid,” PAM counselor Elizabeth Payne said.  According to Payne, seniors have raised a total of $4,500 by selling the boxes. Only 24 students have continued not to pick up their boxes despite saying that they were going to fundraise.

“They should take initiative, if they signed up to sell the boxes, they have to take responsibility. It is for the bowl, and everyone is depending on them, and they will be letting many people down if they don’t,” said SAS senior Jose Cruz.

Many seniors have been trying to consider optional ways to fundraise the money, but there is currently no other way. “Unfortunately since we ordered the boxes, we are responsible for paying for them,” Ms. Payne said, “At this point, I do not see anything else. Dr. Brandy and I are trying to see if there are any other options, but we are still responsible for the bills of these boxes which are $12,000.”

The decision to sell healthy snacks rather than chocolates boxes was a way for seniors to fundraise not only for the Bowl but to promote healthy living. Since the school has a healthy fundraising requirement on campus altogether, the items selected for the snack box were items on the approved list by the district.

However many seniors think that this is one of the biggest problems when it comes to selling the items. “I think the reason why is because these items aren’t ‘junk food,’ and like it or not, most people are not willing to buy healthy snacks when you can get a better deal (and junk food) at the nearest 7-Eleven,” said SAS senior Jessica Torres.

Fortunately, seniors who have been worried about selling their boxes by the November deadline should be relieved to learn the deadline has been extended to Dec. 20 to give seniors more time to sell all the boxes they need left.

“I think that the school did a good decision by extending the deadline. A lot of students are having problems selling their boxes, and giving them more time will greatly help,” Jose said.

Despite all the difficulties in the fund-raising there is still belief from the faculty that the seniors can pull of this major goal.

“I sincerely do believe in the class, and I sincerely believe that it is a possible thing, however it requires the student to start mobilize to fundraise,” Payne said.

Even fellow seniors think that raising the $22,000 is still a reachable goal.  “I believe that we can raise enough money for the Dec. 20 deadline I have faith that in the very near future that class of 2014 will stop talking and start working on fundraising and putting their grain of rice into upholding this tradition,” Jessica said.