As students returned from summer break, excitement filled the halls. Whether it was reuniting with friends, heading to their classes, or noticing the changes made over the summer, nothing seemed more prominent than the library, which had its first major renovation since the school opened. 

As the students of Cherokee Trail entered the library, they were greeted by a brand new environment, “We got shelves replaced, most of the furniture replaced and we have this new little entry area that is kinda like a library café,” Said Mr. Whipple.

These changes are in large part thanks to the voters back in the fall of 2020 who came together to vote for a 150 million dollar bond. Due to this generous income, schools in the Cherry Creek School District (CCSD) had the opportunity to improve school maintenance, safety and security, innovation, technology, and mental health support.

In addition, many people within the CT community believe these changes will offer a lot more than just a change of scenery, “Change kinda brings a little bit of excitement” said Mr. Merrill, “I think it encourages students to want to stay here at school. When you want to stay here at school, you’re gonna get more work done.” 

While it may seem odd to some, an engineer could easily find insight into the reasoning and architectural structure of the library, “Behavioral engineering is what I tell my students,” said Mr. Merrill, “Here are the quiet areas and here are the not-so quiet areas.” Behavioral engineering is when the design is intuitive to the expected actions in said areas. 

This is evident in the new café where students are able to bring food and drinks without being turned away like in previous years, and the cubby areas near the back of the library are more enclosed so as to not allow sound to travel from the entrance. 

As we begin to utilize the library we must maintain a level of respect, as the library is a place for all students, regardless of background, to come and work, connect, and regenerate.