The seating shortage during Power Hour has been alleviated thanks to Les Hatter, the owner of several Five Guys restaurants in the area.

“He was getting new tables, and he knew we needed tables so he offered to donate some,” Principal Rick Fleming said. “I believe they donated about nine tables, there might be some more coming too. I think it always helps to have a personal connection. I think he felt since his daughter is here, he saw the need to help.

Additional tables were not ordered because the administration expected the donated ones to arrive before school started. About 15 blue plastic tables had already been ordered at a cost about $450 apiece.

“When Mr. Hatter said he could get us the tables from Five Guys he really wasn’t sure when,” Fleming said. His new tables were late getting to him, so he really couldn’t donate the other ones. I had to send some people to Lowe’s to get some picnic benches which cost about $100 each.”

Once the tables got to the school the issue of putting it together arose.

“When the tables all got here in parts, one of the custodians put one of them together but it took him three hours,” Fleming said. “We knew we needed extra help, so we put an email blast out to the parent list. One of the parents who responded had power tools and was willing to come out and put together majority of the tables.

Even after assembly, the tables appear to need some work.

“I think they need a paint job because they’re looking a little rusty,” junior Allie Kellner said. “But I’m glad we have the  tables because without them I’d have to squish at a different table or even eat lunch at a different time.”

The tables will be cleaned up in the near future.

“We are going to power-wash the tables soon because they’ve had some weathering to them,” Fleming said. “Mr. Hatter wanted to pressure wash and paint them, but for now I’m just glad students have a place to sit. I’m OK with them being different from the school colors.”

Fleming said that if more tables were to be donated,  the wooden benches would likely be placed under the newly installed solar array near the chemistry class rooms.

By Aakilah Hernandez