Superintendent Announces Millions For Sunset High Renovations
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Less than two weeks after a social media firestorm that put a negative spotlight on Sunset Senior High School for unsanitary conditions, an announcement was made Monday of millions of dollars invested to turn the school around.
The extra money for improvement is part of the Miami-Dade County school bond initiative.
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Images of moldy drinks, pictures of cockroaches crawling in the school were posted on social media by some of Sunset's students a few weeks ago. The photos garnered a lot of attention.
Student Carolina Reyes, whose good friend got sick from drinking juice that had reportedly gone bad, was at Monday's announcement made by Superintendent Alberto Carvahlo. She says she's confident that things will turn around.
Carvalho announced that Sunset will receive $5.9 million of the approved bond money in place to fix up Miami-Dade County public schools.
"This was the right time to do the right thing..." Carvalho said.
At Sunset, Carvalho said the roof will be fixed, walls will be repaired, and the roach problem and other issues have been addressed. Also, the school will get a new running track.
The school's principal, Dr. Lucia Cox, was forced into early retirement almost two weeks ago.
Cox had been employed by Miami-Dade schools for 25 years and worked at Miami Sunset High as principal for the past 10 years.
Cox reportedly came down on the students for posting the photos but in the end, the students' freedom of speech prevailed, and now it's working in their favor.
Carvalho, in an effort to celebrate the activism of the students in Sunset, announced Monday that he will open a communications facility.
Sunset High School is the 30th to receive bond money. The entire overhaul should be done by the end of next year.
"Everyone is going to remember 2015 as a big change for Sunset so we are really excited about it," said Reyes.
A mural will be painted on the outside walls of the school by urban artists. CBS4 asked Carvalho if the project was pushed up because of the negative publicity. He said it was next on the list to receive the upgrade and the timing is merely a coincidence.
