TJ’s new amphitheater, basking in the sunlight awaiting the arrival of eager students and staff alike. photo by Emanuel Morales-Gomez
The new TJ Amphitheater will give students a chance to chase academic success in an outdoor environment.
As of October 2024, Thomas Jefferson High School welcomed the addition of an amphitheater to the ever-growing campus. This multiple month long project will give students a chance to participate in both school events and everyday classes in the beautiful scenery of Jefferson Park.
In 2020, TJ’s Principal Mike Christoff decided to meet up with other members of DPS to consider the addition of an outdoor learning center for his beloved Spartans. After much discussion, Christoff’s idea was approved. As an added bonus, a group of DPS members in charge of the sustainability aspect for the city’s schools decided to propose the idea of a solar-powered roof. The city then decided to match the price of the existing idea, for the purpose of installing a solar panel roof. This allowed the addition of concrete levels that are able to seat over one hundred students.
With the addition of solar panels to the amphitheater, this new modern upgrade to TJ will help both students and the environment. The hope for this amphitheater is to provide a space for students to spend warm days outside while in and outside of class. The large mass of seating opportunities within the amphitheater will allow students to eat lunch, and attend class meetings, clubs, concerts, movies, or to simply spend an off period in the fresh air. The sleek and opportunistic features of this newfound social hotspot will hopefully create memorable events that students will value throughout their high school career.
Among the ideas of practicality and enjoyment, research, has also shown that outdoor environments, especially for students, allow stress levels to decrease significantly. An outdoor environment can provide better opportunities for focus, sleep, and even improve standardized test scores. To be able to sit outside while in the presence of TJ’s wonderful teaching staff allows students to very well see an improvement in their mental health and overall grades.
In addition to the newly built amphitheater, TJ received air conditioning over the summer. It is no secret that Christoff is doing everything in his power to create a fun, productive learning and social space for the current and future students of TJ. 10th graders, Veronica Ryan and Lilah Sani, two of TJ’s current students, both think that the Amphitheater is a beneficial addition to TJ. Ryan stated,“ I could hang out with my friends, with a nice shaded area,” and Sani agreed “It’s nice and warm, and it’s a spot to sit instead of just grass.”
The combination of education, nature, and fun will hopefully enhance TJ’s students’ school experience. The hope for this project is to allow students to have opportunities to make memories in a beautiful environment for years to come and, considering the amount of positive feedback students have given on the project, that certainly seems like the case. Spartans, make sure to visit this new addition to the school, and enjoy the outdoor space while the weather is still warm!
