Our field, located at E. 16th-17th Street, between Avenues.K and L will be receiving a makeover in order to create a better ground for our athletes and guests to utilize. All this is possible due to the intervention of Principal David Cohen, faculty members, and a parent. The date to begin the renovation is yet to be announced.
    “It’s an important project. We’ll bring the whole complex into the 21st century,” said Athletics Director Artie LaGreca. According to Mr.  Cohen, the three main areas of focus are renovating the tracks so that puddles are not created when it rains, renovating the stands so that they are safer and more user-friendly, and renovating the field house by upgrading its infrastructure such as locker rooms and office space.
    Tianna Chin ‘12, A member of our Girls Lacrosse Team, said, “The lockers are constantly breaking, and it would be amazing if we received more of them considering the limited number we have now.”
    The idea of renovating the field, originally created in 1908, sprouted when Patrick Thorton, a parent of a track team member visited the field last year and noticed the “poor condition of the facility.”
    “Midwood is a big school, and I saw that the teams were important in uniting the students and building school spirit,” said Thorton.  “I felt that both the students and faculty deserved a better place to practice and host games.”
     Through the support of Mr. Cohen and Maryanne Elder, who was both the assistant principal and director of the athletics department, Thorton took action by contacting our Parent Association and School Leadership. By February of this year, he was able to get local officials involved.  A meeting with Borough President Marty Markowitz, Mr. Cohen and Thorton was scheduled; another with Thorton and City Councilman Jumaane Williams was scheduled. State Senator Kevin Parker, a former Hornet, and State Assembler Rhonda Jacobs were also involved.
    “Midwood High School has such a great reputation so our representatives were eager to help,” said Thorton
    Beating the initial goal of $1.5 million for the reconstruction, a total of $3.0 million was reached. Borough President Markowitz committed $2.0 million. City Council members Williams, Michael Nelson, and Dominic Recchia together committed $1.0 million. All this in addition to the $500,000 turf donated by the NFL in 2008 as a legacy of the first-ever NFL PLAY 60 Youth Football Festival contributes to the renovation of the field.
    “The strong involvement of the community shows how prestigious our school is,” said Bernard Boakye ‘11, member of the football team. “And not every school can receive contributions from organizations such as the NFL.”
    LaGreca said, “It’s a beautiful field that should be maintained. It’s the only field of its kind in NYC.”
    The stands of the field which were built in 1908 were inspired by those used in the 1906 Olympics in Athens.
    Over the summer the School Construction Authority, independent architects, and our representatives attended a meeting to discuss the plans and cost for the project. The final say on the plan and cost of the project has not yet been affirmed. Additional money might still be needed to get the job done, even though millions of dollars have already been set aside for it.    
     “We’ll try contacting our alumni, more politicians, and the local community,” said Mr. Cohen. “We could even go back to the old car washing system.”
    LaGreca said, “As soon as the job begins, we’ll have a whole new facility.”
    Chin said, “I’m sure this project will make the Hornets proud.”