City and state lawmakers gathered Dec. 17 to award $5.6 million in capital funding for athletic field renovations at the Herbert H. Lehman Educational Campus.
The celebratory announcement in the Lehman High School library included Borough President Vanessa Gibson, City Council Members Amanda Farías and Kristy Marmorato, Schools Deputy Chancellor Kevin Moran and Bronx High School Superintendent Marcell Deans.
The massive campus on East Tremont Ave., is home to six schools that combine under one set of sports teams, the Lehman Lions.
Pelham Lab High School, Westchester Square Academy, Bronx River High School, Schuylerville Preparatory High School, Lehman High School and Renaissance High School for Musical Theater and the Arts all share the same building.
But despite the huge campus with thousands of students, the athletic fields have been substandard for years, forcing teams to play at other schools.
The excitement was palpable at the funding announcement, where nearly 40 student athletes arrived, decked out in blue and orange spirit gear representing cheerleading, football, lacrosse, track and other sports.
Students said they were excited for the upgrades. They said the current sports field is in a sorry state. Some said that it’s currently made of hard, scratchy artificial turf with bits of rock somehow scattered throughout and painted-on goal lines that fade away when it rains.
The subpar field has been both an eyesore and an inconvenience, students told the Bronx Times.
Marie, a soccer and lacrosse player, told the Bronx Times that Lehman’s teams play “basically all away games” because their facility is not up to standard, even for many practices.
Jordana Bell, principal of Schuylerville Prepatory High School, acknowledged the hardship that students have faced without a proper athletic facility.
“We see you practicing on sub-optimal surfaces. We see you traveling to other neighborhoods just to have a ‘home game.’ And we see the heart and grit you bring to every play despite these challenges,” Bell said.
“This field is a promise to you that your hard work deserves a stage that is safe, professional and something you can be proud to call your own,” she added.
Gibson secured $1 million towards the project and said her $85 million in total educational investments she has made throughout her tenure have been well worth it. “Every dollar, every check we invest in schools is a promise for a better tomorrow,” she said.
Gibson spoke of the need for “dignified spaces” in every corner of the borough and encouraged Bronx students not to settle for less. “Don’t ever accept the floor when you can aim for the ceiling,” she said to the students.
Farías represents District 18, which covers the school’s athletic field, even though the school itself is technically in Marmorato’s District 13.
Farías said her brother graduated from Lehman High School a few years ago and that she was proud to allocate $604,000 towards the project.
“A renovated field gives students a place to train, compete and grow, while making it easier for families and supporters to show up and be part of those experiences,” she said.
Marmorato was herself a former Lehman Lion and said investing in the athletic field was a “full circle moment.”
She said she was pleased to partner with other elected officials on the project, especially knowing that the field hasn’t been renovated since her time there. “All I ask is that you invite me to your first Friday Night Lights game,” Marmorato said.
As Deputy Schools Chancellor, Moran told students that the lack of proper athletic facilities at Lehman High School has been a “historic inequity in your community” that is now being rectified.
As far back as 2012, student-athletes and families have advocated for improvements that never came to fruition, Moran said.
But things are about to change. Moran said he will meet with the Department of Environmental Protection tomorrow to begin discussing design details, and the pressure is now on his team to come up with a plan that actually sticks.
“Bare minimum, you’re gonna get a state-of-the-art, beautiful, unbelievable sports facility” with a “massive scoreboard,” Moran told the students.
The project timeline has not yet been announced.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
