After a long process and eventual garnered support, construction has nearly finished and new field lights beam above Aragon’s football field.
The San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD)had decided to implement permanent field lights in five of its schools: San Mateo, Capuchino, Hillsdale, Mills and Aragon. The push for stadium lights was led by parents of SMUHSD students, notably Aragon parent David Solomon, Hillsdale parent Margie Tostado and San Mateo parent Alan Reynaud. The proposal was discussed Oct. 8, 2015, and in November of that year, three community input sessions were set up: in San Mateo and Aragon, Mills and Capuchino, and Hillsdale. Finally, on June 23, 2016, the SMUHSD Board of Trustees approved the Stadium Light and Public Address System Project.
Reynaud, Tostado and Solomon led their charge through an online petition, “Please install field lights at Aragon, Hillsdale, and San Mateo High Schools,” posted on Change.org with 1,045 supporters. They called for field lights, saying, “Lights will allow students to participate in athletic events without missing class time, athletes to have adequate time and space to practice on the fields, schools to enhance or even expand their sports and marching band options, community members to use the track in the evenings when the field is open and enable high school’s to host middle school special athletic events.”
Aragon principal Dr. Patricia Kurtz talks about the installment process. Kurtz says, “The lights were delayed because of the rains. If the weather clears up, we will be able to have them finished soon. Hillsdale and San Mateo began construction before us because they were able to get contracts first due to the topography of their fields.” She adds, “In addition to the lights, we are having a new sound system installed too. That was a big issue that parents and the community had, and now the sound is directed right on the viewers.”
Furthermore, Solomon discusses the attitude of the administration and their helpfulness. Solomon says, “Dr. Kevin Skelly is amazing, and he immediately understood the issues that impact students, and made sure the lights were the right thing for the community.” Varsity football coach and PE teacher Steven Sell agrees with Solomon’s take on the administration, saying, “Dr. Kevin Skelly [superintendent], Sheri Costa [communications manager], Marc Friedman [board member] and Elizabeth McManus [deputy superintendent of business services], in the district office handled the issue absolutely masterfully in working with the board and with the community.”
He adds, “JV soccer couldn’t play full games and lacrosse can’t practice at the same time as track and field, so when it gets dark they need lights for their games and practices. This was not done for football. The number one reason, however, was for kids to miss less class — without lights, games have to start at 3 p.m., causing kids to miss a lot of class time.”
However, these lights pose potential problems for administrators. Sells says, “the one concern I have is that administrators and athletic directors have to stay later and spend more time out, and that isn’t going to be free.”
Students highlight the benefits and disadvantages of field lights. Senior Kevin Adams says, “The construction of the lights really affected track practice because the track was closed for a week. It was hard to have track practice without a track, so we were forced to run on concrete, which is not healthy for our legs.”
Adams continues, “My concern is if the lights bring down property value in the area, that affects my friends and family.”
In addition to track, the baseball team was also affected by the construction of the lights. Junior Elliot Biagini says,“It was a huge inconvenience for us to have to practice without an outfield, especially since soccer practiced at the beginning of baseball season at a peak time that reps are needed. The outfield is [now] dangerous to play on because soccer rips it up and creates huge divots and loosens the dirt and grass.”
However, Biagini looks forward to when the lights will be completed. He says, “The lights will be great for next season [because] this way the outfield grass has time to grow back smooth and we will be able to do all of the activities we need while having plenty of space.”
Junior Tilman Voorsanger says, “This helps scheduling because kids won’t have to be pulled out of school early to go to a game… For a large part of the soccer season games get cut short due to the lack of light, often only playing a half of a game.”
The optimistic finish to the lights is scheduled for mid-March, in time for the spring sports to make use of them.
