By: Victoria Lin, Justin Dunbar and Stephanie Wong, Staff Writers
As November elections for Millbrae City Council are quickly approaching, it’s important to remember for candidates to remember that it takes more than just charisma and stage presence to win votes. In fact, candidates should be valued for their policy recommendations, and residents should ask themselves what can be done to improve the city of Millbrae.
In 2016, the Millbrae Recreation Center was burned down, resulting in $2 million in damages and the symbolic loosening of community bonds. Without an intermediary for high school students to practice sports, adults to enjoy time with their children, and seniors to take computer classes, Millbrae residents lacked a space to explore their own interests. Mills High School students withstood the greatest impacts. Model United Nations members could no longer hold meetings outside of school, and AP Biology students could not use a conference room to conduct study groups for the upcoming exams. Therefore, understanding the necessity for a Millbrae Recreation Center to promote the pursuits of young adults, Mills High students are in firm affirmation of Measure II Bond. Although Measure II would require citizens to pay $12 million in bonds—depending on an individual’s annual income—the benefits of program would be invaluable. Available childcare programs would allow parents would allow parents to pursue occupational opportunities. Academic classes would promote educational growth in students, while social spaces would be used as a balance to relieve pressure. Tai Chi and Zumba classes would encourage healthy living for seniors through rigorous exercise. Recognizing the plethora of advantages—for not only Mills students, but the for our whole community—Mills High would like to establish our support for the educational and cultural revitalization of Millbrae.
High schools place great importance on participating in extracurriculars—such as sports. At Mills High School, student athletes often face troublesome setbacks involving equipment. Many high school athletes are upset because of the double standards concerning the quality of equipment they are provided with. Mills provides some teams with new uniforms and gear annually, while other teams are left to put up with old, worn-down equipment. For example, the girls’ golf team faced major cutbacks this past season due to the lack of funding for transportation and a course to practice on. Mills does not provide the necessary gear for the team to be successful. On the other hand, sports such as football and basketball receive the proper equipment they need to play. Although some sports teams are more popular and perform better during their seasons, it is unfair to allocate more funds for them while leaving other teams to put up with what little resources they have access to. With increased funding, all Mills High School sports teams could improve their performance. It could also encourage more students to join Mills sports teams, seeing as most people do not join because of the lack of funding.
Although Millbrae is an exceptional city for families and students alike, there is still much room for improvement. The rebuilding of the recreational center with Measure II Bond and the increased allocation of funds for schools to use towards extracurriculars is only the first step in making our city better.
