What is the value of a tree? 

In the Woodlands, the answer is clear: it surpasses the necessity for an extra lane on Research Forest Drive, the cost of consistent upkeep of our vast landscapes, and the complication of otherwise simple construction plans. Trees and greenery are integral to our community in fundamental ways; they are literally in the name of our community.  

But, CISD seems to have a different understanding of such values. By the end of winter break, construction will start in the courtyard of TWHS. While not finalized, the tentative plan is:

1. Level the hills.
2. Tear out the trees and greenery at the center of the courtyard, attempting to preserve a tentative maximum of 6 trees scattered throughout the sides of the courtyard.
3. Install turf in the place of grass.
4. Convert most of the area to concrete slabs for new grated tables.
5. Cover the area with a canopy of some sort. 

At any point of the day that students have free time, you consistently see a varied range of them talking, laughing, and hanging out with their friends in our courtyard. Throughout the school year art, photography, and other classes are conducted outdoors to give students a much-needed break from the stale air inside classrooms. According to Rylee Harrington (11) this is because, “the courtyard has such an organic and natural feel” she continued, “it gives us a breather from the sterile, gray, and neutral classrooms and hallways of TWHS.”

And this isn’t just testimony, it’s science. The American Psychological Association (APA) published a feature article called Nurtured by Nature in 2020, outlining how interacting with nature, in any capacity, leads to “improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even upticks in empathy and cooperation.” The genuineness of the greenery in the main courtyard is impossible to recreate with Astroturf and cement, and taking such a critical part of the school from students is antithetical to our administration’s recent emphasis on mental health. If CISD administrators genuinely want to improve the high school experience for their students, taking away a safe space for them is not the answer.

When reaching out to peers for further comments, the same sentiment was echoed: “I don’t understand why they are adding turf when we are supposed to be out in the sun in the courtyard,” said Hayden Martin (12). 

Instead of being out in the sun, the addition of Astroturf means students are out in carcinogens. In a research study conducted by Maire Murphy, with New Jersey Institute of Technology, investigating the health impacts of AstroTurf, she found that “chemicals identified in artificial turf… are known carcinogens, neurotoxicants, mutagens, and endocrine disruptors.”  Meaning, our district’s administrators are trading in our safety for a more “cost effective” alternative (which, I might add, comes with a $4 million price tag up front). 

Irrespective of the disadvantages surrounding these changes, one concern is the lack of clarity surrounding the necessity for change. Dr. Landry indicated that the proposals for what the new courtyard will look like are being commissioned by Dr. Christopher Povich, Assistant Superintendent for High Schools with CISD, and Dr. Curtis Null, our Districts’ Superintendent. 

Our district’s administration oversees 13 high schools, eight of which are not located within a Woodlands zip code. The varied range of schools within the school board’s jurisdiction, and that which they have to deal with, is noble- but it detaches them from an understanding of the Woodlands’ intentional geographical planning. They are not invested in ensuring the image of our community is mimicked within the educational spaces we work in, and they are not invested in the day to day quality of every single student’s experience within them. 

Our high school is different from newer additions like College Park or Grand Oaks (not located within The Woodlands), in that its design was always meant to embody the greenery and natural feel surrounding it. It was not built with the idea of landscape costs in mind, because the value in keeping trees and nature has never been a question to the founders, or families, of The Woodlands. 

While proponents of such renovations argue that this a necessity to trim back on costs and expand the available seating for students to eat lunch, there are other ways to achieve similar results. On the idea of landscaping costs, instead of using bond funds for a complete remodel, invest them back into landscaping. Or, better yet, commission a landscaping club, composed of students, and make a one time payment training members on how to do proper landscaping. From there, inspire students to do the landscaping themselves to earn volunteer hours. Both of these options lead to a more sustainable approach to courtyard maintenance while not taking additional money. 

On the idea of lunch crowding, I can agree that there is an APPARENT necessity for an influx of lunchtime seating for our growing student population. But our first step should not be to tear out the courtyard. Instead, the district could opt to cover the areas already slabbed, such as the raised seating area external to the GLO and the benches/lunch tables surrounding it and cover them so that they are always available. Additionally, the external area between the library and the life skills hallway has a lot of empty space that leaves room for benches, tables, and a covering for kids to eat under. Internally, we could add more lunch tables to the cafeteria towards the back and in front of the vending machines or add additional folding tables to the cold hallway with more chairs.

Ultimately, the decision on what happens to our courtyard should not be made by CISD administration, it should be a partnership between students and TWHS faculty. When the finalized proposals are presented, Dr. Landry could advocate for the changes, or lack thereof, that his students want to see. Our administrative faculty should put the courtyard proposals up for a vote by the student body population, being sure to include the option of none of the above, instead of picking for us. 

If you feel negatively about the proposed changes, TWHS Senior Kristen Hua created a petition to protest them which can be found here.