What's Happening in Winter Park, FL…

Winter Park High School recently received a number of upgrades, thanks to the Winter Park High School Foundation, which raises funds to help the school.

The organization usually has a budget of nearly a half-million dollars a year, according to its director of charitable giving, Vince Furey.

The improvements include putting a new sound system into the auditorium, reworking the baseball fields, and upgrading the tennis courts. The area around the pool has received sun shading, which cost about $130,000. The foundation has been raising funds for a year for this part of the effort. Organizations like this can use brochure printing to publicize their mission.

Watersports are important at Winter Park, with a water polo and swim team at the school. Several other organizations—the Stone Crab Club, the Central Florida Sun water polo club, and the Blue Dolphin Club—all practice at the school. Furey said the activities mean the pool deck is in use all year, without any shade. Now there is sun-shade screening stretching 60 feet along the pool sides, which means the outdoor cafeteria is the only part of the exterior area that still needs work.

Since the school does not have room for all its students to eat in the cafeteria, as many as 200 eat outside during their lunch period. The tables they use have umbrellas, but a covering measuring 80 by 80 feet will soon be installed as part of the upgrades.