Worthington Kilbourne started its renovation project in 2023. Now three years later as we begin the second quarter, the results of the construction are materializing. The school has undergone several changes including the upstairs classrooms, a new media room, the counseling center/administration office, the library, the commons space, and more. As each of these areas went under construction, it presented challenges for students and staff to face. Now that a good majority of the school is complete and students fall back into a normal rhythm, we can reconnect with the school and what it means to be a student here.
Students are held to the idea of being “PACK expectations” and the importance of supporting each other as they get their high school education. The “C” value stands for “Commit to be involved.” Many sport and club related areas of the school changed allowing for students to have more opportunities to be involved and be a part of something. A variety of different staff members and students have agreed that the school is a lot more spacious now and the new changes have provided a better learning environment.
Emily Odor, a junior at Kilbourne, spoke to this, saying, “ When I first got here my freshman year [2023] the school looked completely different. It felt crowded and it often felt gloomy due to the lack of color throughout the building. Through these past three years I’ve watched the school transform into a better learning environment and the renovations allow me to move around more and have more space to learn.”
Mrs. Rehkopf, an intervention specialist here at Kilbourne, shares her perspective of all the changes and improvements that she sees. “ At the beginning of this school year [2025-26], I didn’t have an office to meet with everyone I needed to,” she said. “ The first few weeks were definitely more difficult due to that, but once I finally had my room, things started to improve. The new classrooms have been harder to find upstairs because of the added classrooms and numbering system but they have also been very beneficial for not only the students but teachers as well. The more modern look and more color brings more life to the hallways and classrooms. Overall, the energy in the building seems more lively, improving students’ high school experience.”
The construction has undeniably been an interesting period of learning and adjustment for the Kilbourne community, but it’s good to know that all the adjustments were worth it as we see all the new and exciting spaces that are available now to everyone who calls themself a Kilbourne wolf!
