It’s no secret that the new high school was not fully finished when students arrived in the fall of 2016. Last school year construction workers were all over putting final touches on the school. From finishing the auditorium to touching up the paint, the workers were rushing to get out of the students way. Mr. E’s room 207 still has an unfinished ceiling: was this in the plans, or was it cut due to the lack of time?

Mr. E’s room is not your average classroom. The room has five different angled walls, one wall is all windows, another wall is a folding door, lights hang from the ceiling, ducts and pipes are exposed, there are two exit doors, over 10 outlets on the floor, and four supporting posts throughout the room. Mr. E likes to call the style of the room “industrial hipster.”

I asked a few students from Mr. E’s  Journalism classes how they feel about the ceiling and the style of the rest of the room. Many students agreed that the high open ceiling gives the room a bigger feel, and they like it. “It makes the room feel more relaxed, it doesn’t seem so strict and dark,” senior Hunter Kral said. When asked if they think the room affects their learning they all said no. Senior Connor Foley likes the room because “it doesn’t make me feel like I’m in such a box.” Another senior Haley Olson likes the room because “it gives it a cool industrial vibe.” I asked a few students if the different classroom setting affects their learning. Hunter Kral said, “I think the different classroom setting encourages me to learn because the room is fun and more inviting.”

The style of room 207 is very fitting to Mr. E’s personality. I asked Mr. E himself about his thoughts on the room. Mr. E informed me that the design of his room was not in the original design for the school; he said the room was supposed to look like the computer lab in room 206. There was no designated teacher for this room originally, but because new English teachers were hired, someone had to give up their room. Mr. E was brave enough to give up his regular classroom for room 207. Mr. E loves his room. He says, “I think it is super awesome. I’m not super OCD so I love all the different angles the room has.”

All in all the students of NUHS are not affected much by the looks of room 207 – most of them would actually say they like it because it gives a different feel. The industrial hipster vibe room 207 gives is a perfect room for Mr. E. The mystery still remains unclear, though:  is the style of this room due to lack of time or funds to complete, or was it intentionally finished this way.