Students Protest Learning Conditions At Ellicott City School

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — Students and parents attended a recent Howard County Board of Education meeting to demand leaders put renovation projects at their high school at the top of the list.

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Centennial High School students say that problems in their building are causing issues with their learning and concerns them for safety's sake.

Students told Patch that they were evacuated three times in the first three weeks of school. The nearly 50-year-old building has been experiencing HVAC problems, leaks and other issues.

At last week's school board meeting, members held their work session for the fiscal year for the 2028-2033 capital improvement program and students shared their concerns with board members.

Students told the school board that their building has waited years for a major renovation while projected timelines have continually been pushed back. The latest projections extend into the 2030s.

"It's been, honestly, frustrating. Imagine being in class and you hear the alarm blaring. It's disappointing. We've been in this building for four years and it's still in a terrible state," Nandana Ratheesh, a Centennial student, told Patch and school board members.

There also are sanitary issues happening at the school, one student said before the school board.

"Centeniall's indoor bathrooms are 50 years old ... half of them are entirely out of order with many restrooms left with only one single functioning stall. Last spring, chemistry classrooms flooded, leaving missing ceiling tiles and active rain leaks directly into instructional spaces," Silvia Johnson, a junior at Centennial High School, told board members. "We need action now."

Jain Satvik told Patch that Centennial High School is "falling apart."

"In the first week of school, we got evacuated due to electrical issues. A couple of days ago, we were evacuated again for over an hour due to the failure of fans that began to emanate noxious smoke. One student had to go to the hospital, and even though the environment was so unsafe that classes had to stay in the auditorium once we got back inside, a Howard County official cleared our school," Satvik said.

"(Wednesday), it happened again, and we are so sick and tired. We've been asking for renovations for years, and have received nothing for our labors," Satvik added.

Nimesh Chheda, treasurer for the Centennial High School Parent-Teacher-Student Assocation, told Patch that 13 years isn't a delay, it's a pattern.

"Our kids don't get to wait until 2036 to have a safe place to learn. Every family in this county pays for Capital Improvement. Ellicott City's students deserve the same priority as anyone else's," Chheda said.

Athena Thomas, a band member at Centennial High School, also attended the school board meeting. She told Patch that the school received rave reviews before she attended. But when she arrived for her freshman year, she couldn't believe the state of the building.

"Once I arrived as a freshman, my view was almost shattered. 'Some of the smartest kids on the East Coast go to this place?' I asked myself. It was a discouraging moment. No amount of spirit days could fix the fact that the place I once idolized felt run down and dreary, even with nationally recognized academics and performing arts. Even as a sophomore right now, putting up with constant distractions caused by the state of our building concerns me for future generations of students," Thomas said.

"The best time to renovate Centennial High School was 20 years ago, but the next best time is now," Thomas emphasized.

Centennial High School junior Finley Babik told Patch that while the school is known for its academics, it has yet to receive the attention it deserves.

"At the end of last year, our school experienced air-conditioning failure that resulted in a day-long closure while they addressed the issue. We were told that Centennial would undergo extensive HVAC repair during the summer and until the system was fully fixed; a very large portable chiller would be installed at the front of our school to maintain a stable indoor temperature. As of right now, we have yet to see that solution," Babik said.

According to students, the "drastic" temperature changes in the building are problematic.

"One part of the building could be hot and poorly ventilated, while another could feel over-chilled and require multiple layers to feel comfortable. It is difficult to maintain a productive environment when students and teachers are constantly adjusting to the temperature around them," Babik said.

The three evacuations in three weeks also "cuts into vital learning time."

"This exhausting routine cuts into vital learning time and not only frustrates students, but teachers as well," Babik said. "As a current student, I find it disheartening to see both my classmates and teachers become frustrated with the environment in which they are expected to learn and work.

"Centennial is a school with such a strong reputation and a community of students and staff who care deeply about their education. I do not think it is unreasonable to expect the building to reflect that same care. Shouldn't we, as a community, feel comfortable and confident in the space where we spend a third of our day, five days a week for 10 months of the year?"

Centennial High School student Leona Guo told Patch that last week, when students were evacuated for a "noxious smoke," large fans were brought in to help mitigate the odor. One student was taken to the hospital, Halim said.

Ming Sun, a drum major for Centennial High School's band, told Patch that the concerned students will not be quiet nor back down.

"My message is that we will be back. Time and time again, the student body will be present at their meetings, we will show them how much we care and we will not stop until we are renovated," Sun said.

School officials said they'll continue reviewing future renovation priorities. Meanwhile Brian Bassett, spokesperson for the Howard County Public School System, directed Patch to the school's capital budget published online. It it, renovation plans and an addition at Centennial High School has funding allocated for projects starting with the fiscal year 2032 budget.