I am a rising senior at Boothbay Region High School. Over the past year I have noticed more issues with student parking in the lower lot by Townsend Avenue, a lot owned by the town of Boothbay Harbor. These issues are about not having enough spots or students taking “other students' spots.” The pressure to park in the lower lot has been increased this year due to BRHS teachers having to park in the BRES parking lot, due to BRES students attending the high school. Although students don't actually have designated spots, I strongly believe that designated spots are a good idea. I have a fun way to do this, which other schools have tried. This change would make student parking at BRHS easier, and safer.

As it has been this year, safety has been compromised by students parking on the curb by the football snack snack and in front of the emergency gate to the football field, which is there to allow an ambulance to easily access the field under the conditions of LifeFlight air ambulance. Recently a student car was parked in front of the gate during a medical emergency, blocking the ambulance from entering the field, requiring the ambulance to find another access route.

My idea about designated spots came to mind one day when I came upon a video on TikTok about “parking paintings.” I was intrigued to know more so I researched if there were any schools in Maine that were doing this. Messalonskee High, a school in Oakland Maine, has adopted the idea of allowing seniors to paint their parking spots (Abrahamson). At Messalonskee, this has resulted in less confusion and fewer arguments because the students “own” their spots.

In my opinion, BRHS should adopt this as well, just with some amendments to the rules. Seniors would be allowed first pick of their spots; they have been in school the longest and they are also older. After all seniors have painted their desired spot, the Junior Class would be able to pick and paint the remaining spots.

Because paint is expensive, all students who have a spot would have to bring their own paint and materials to be able to make this work. The reader may ask how the spots would be covered up at the end of the school year. My solution would be that the participating classes would have to fundraise to afford black and white paint to cover the artwork at the end of the year. 

Unfortunately, the “student parking lot’’ is not actually owned by BRHS. I have learned that the town of Boothbay Harbor and BRHS school officials have a verbal agreement that the students are able to use the lot during the school year. Changes to the high school parking lot should be proposed to the Board of Trustees and the Boothbay Harbor Board of Selectmen.

“Owned spots” would make parking easier and safer; the students would have their spots for the whole year and not have to fight to get a spot in the lot. This project would also be fun for the students; it would give them a chance to be creative, to bond with their class, and to be proud of the finished project. If this idea was approved, the students would have to abide by the school rules, but in the end it would make parking easier, and safer, for the students, and the campus.

Do you agree that we should make this happen?

Work cited: Abrahamson, Rich. “Messalonskee Parking Spots Painted 0831.” centralmaine.com. August 31, 2020. June 6, 2023; https://www.centralmaine.com/media/gallery/messalonskee-parking-spots-painted-0831/