As Lake Stevens High School students start their day by walking into our newest and largest main addition, the East Hall, they are welcomed into a campus of a modern yet comfortable environment. With our student-run store, ‘The Cove’, just to their left, and the vast classrooms spreading down the halls up to three stories tall, students are experiencing the brand new LSHS.

Reconstruction started the 2017-2018 school year and is near full completion. Renovated buildings include the newly named North Hall, NW Hall, NE Hall, West Hall, SW Hall and SE Hall. Buildings added to campus include East Hall and Viking Hall, where our new gymnasium and pool are located.

Principal Leslie Ivelia, who was the planning principle behind this great feat, stated, “The goal of the remodel and modernization of LSHS was to expand our campus to accommodate growth as well as modernize older portions of our campus. The scope of the project included a wide variety of upgrades, including replacement and expansion of selected buildings; modernization of the entire campus; construction of new learning spaces for general education, special education, music, and athletics; improvements to the swimming pool; upgrades to campus security; replacement of heating, ventilation, roofing, and electrical systems; and improvements to student parking and bus loading areas. General education classrooms, science classrooms, administrative offices, the library, pool entry, and main gym were all built new.”

Ivelia also went on to say, “I believe it has made a significant impact on the positive climate and culture we are so proud to celebrate here at LSHS. There are many facets of our campus that resemble a college campus feel and in my opinion, our students have risen to a much more mature disposition.”
With the campus comes many learning spaces spread across the map. Many students enjoy using the provided academic areas to do school work, hang out, or eat lunch.

A senior, Isabella Evans, said the remodel has positively benefited her learning experience, that “It’s really nice to have access to all the little sitting spots around the school, I know that I can always find like a quiet place to work and there wasn’t really any before the remodel and I know that I use the commons a lot for studying, especially like during lunch and after school,” senior Isabella Evans said.

With the remodel and modernization came a closer eye to design and finishes.
“I would probably say that the appeal really went up after the school got remodeled. There’s a lot of nice wood pieces which made it feel really homey, and I liked how they put the fence around the campus. It feels a little more safe than it was,” Evans said.

Since the campus is so large, there are new areas to discover all the time. But, due to COVID-19, the current 2022 seniors are the only students who experienced LSHS prior to the main completions of the remodel, the construction, and the new school itself. Incoming sophomores are experiencing a brand new school, as are many juniors.
“When I went to Cav, we didn’t really get to explore the school that much… but I could say this is probably way better since we’re actually enjoying the full in-person experience,” sophomore Teagan Sydow said.
The remodel of LSHS has been a craft in the making for years, and it is now being enjoyed with the latest high schoolers. Seemingly well-liked by most, it is a popular opinion that the renovated school and its characteristics are beneficial to the student body and staff.