When Principal Cody Japinga first introduced the idea of painting senior parking spots, he saw it as a way for students to have “a little bit of individualized fun.”
“Yeah, I thought it was just a fun idea to let kids have a little bit of individualized fun,” Japinga said. “I’ve been to other schools for sporting events and those types of things. I’ve seen that at schools, kind of a cool thing to do. A little bit selfishly, it costs no money. People loved it and it made me lots of money.”
The Class of 2024 was the only group allowed to paint their parking spots, a decision that brought enthusiasm for many. Funds raised from the parking spots were used to support student celebrations and events, including but not limited to Student of the Month, Homecoming, and Winter Carnival, according to Japinga.
Although the activity was loved by many, the last two years have yielded barren black asphalt. Superintendent Dr. William Patterson decided to stop painting the parking lot largely because it had been recently resurfaced.
“You know, the big reason was we went through the parking lot and resurfaced lots,” Patterson said. “When you invest that much money into making something new and aesthetically pleasing, I didn’t want to paint over that, at least right away.”
Patterson added that taxpayers’ investments that help maintain school facilities were also an important factor in his decision.
“I thought it was not the right move,” he said.
“The taxpayers pay a lot of money to invest in the facilities and roads and driveways at Lakeview, and to turn around and paint that right after doing that, I thought was not the right move.”
Still, many students expressed disappointment about losing the choice to personalize their spots. In a poll of 98 Lakeview seniors, 80 students, or approximately 81.6%, expressed interest in the option to paint their parking spots.
Japinga said the project had been a positive experience overall, bringing together students, staff, and parents.
“It was a fun day,” Japinga said. “Kids had music going, kids were coming and going and painting, and parents were there, and it was a 100% positive experience.”
For now, the painted parking spots remain a colorful memory for the Class of 2024, and for the Classes of 2025 and 2026, they have “aesthetically pleasing asphalt.”
