To celebrate the recent additions of new buildings like the Main Gym, Shop Building, and Science Building, Venice hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the comprehensive modernization projects on campus last Wednesday.

There are six new science labs, practice courts, an autoshop lab, redesigned quad seating, a computer lab, and current renovations to the auditorium as well. 

Los Angeles City Council Member Traci Park believes that funding education funds the community as a whole. 

“I think that [the new facilities] are an outstanding opportunity to enhance learning and academics,” she said. 

LAUSD Board Member Nick Melvoin spoke at the ceremony, cutting the ribbon alongside Council Member Park and Principal Cynthia Headrick. 

“I think this is an investment in our students and staff, and a reimagining of what a high school should look like in the 21st century,” he said. “Instead of an old school shop class, we have a state-of-the-art 3D printer, horticulture, and assistive technology for students with disabilities.”

There is still change happening to campus facilities, including the addition of gates.

“I love driving down the street and seeing Venice students eating lunch on the grass, but we also need to make sure we’ve answered safety concerns,” said Melvoin. 

At the ribbon cutting hosted in the new gym, choir, cheer, band, and Venice dance group PBG performed. The new school mascot, Gunther, also appeared. 

Senior Class President Hitesh Sharma is excited about the new sports medicine rooms and said that they will continue to inspire the future of healthcare. 

“This is even more important for our generation, because we use technology a lot more than previous students,” he said.  

This comprehensive modernization project created approximately 3,000 jobs, larger than the school’s student population, said Director of Community Relations, Monica Carazo. 

At this time, the buildings do not have new names. Though according to Headrick, there is discussion about the renaming of new buildings that has to go through the district.