By Celine Macura

The student body has spoken. After multiple complaints to student government regarding the condition of the bathrooms, the first of many upgrades are washing up around school. Students’ main concern was the uncleanliness of the bathrooms; they felt that the bathrooms should be more sanitary.
According to Student Government president Shrinath Viswanathan, the school is completing the renovations “slowly throughout the year” and anticipates all bathrooms to be upgraded by the 2017-18 school year. So far, only the girl’s bathroom in the World Language hall has been redone—it now boasts new floor tiling, stall dividers, and painted walls.
In addition, the school is installing automatic toilets and sinks. Hands-free flushometers have already been installed in both the girls’ and boys’ bathrooms in the World Language hallway as well as the boys’ bathroom in the math hallway. This technology resolves many student student complaints, eliminating both germ spreading and current faulty manual sink timers.
Student opinions of these changes have been primarily positive. Junior Tyler Witt has been concerned that the girls’ bathroom has been more fully renovated than the boys’, but he hopes student government will follow through with their initiative to renovate all school bathrooms.
Junior Hannah Dienstag is also satisfied with the bathrooms’ new look. “The new color scheme and floors make the whole environment feel cleaner.” Previously, Dienstag tried to avoid the school bathrooms altogether.
These new renovations are making South’s bathrooms not only more aesthetically appealing but also more hygienic. Hands-free technology minimizes the transfer of germs between bathroom occupants, and new wood-grain tile floors add an elegant touch to the otherwise industrial-looking stalls.