Color Guard Didn’t Create

Gym Space Problem

To the Editor:

As co-captain of the Newtown High School Color Guard, the article regarding gym shortage in last week’s edition of The Bee shocked me. Don’t one-sided pieces targeting a specific audience belong in the editorial section? It certainly was not front-page material. Neither Mr Manfrodonia, nor our advisor Mr Dumas were contacted to present the other side. I would like to set the facts straight.

I have been a member of the Newtown High School Color Guard for four years now. Each year, I have seen drastic improvements made by my teammates and I. We ended the ‘99 Winterguard season winning third place in A class. The Newtown Nighthawks Marching Band and Color Guard established itself as a competitor with the top marching bands in EMBA after receiving a 94.7 and a superior rating in the ‘99 championships. Norwalk and Trumbull are usually our toughest competition, but lately our fiercest competitors have been the high school’s six basketball teams, and Newtown’s Parks and Recreation Department.

 We realize that there is a lack of sports facilities in town. However, the existence of the Color Guard has been in jeopardy at the start of each new season. The NHS Athletic Department considers us a varsity activity, but we lose practice space to JV and freshman teams, and even Park and Rec activities. The two solutions presented to us by the Park and Rec are to use either a Fairfield Hills Gym (without heat or running water) or the one in Garner Federal Correctional Institute. Who would send 19 teenage girls to practice three times a week in a level four federal prison, filled with violent male inmates?

I will admit, the Color Guard does contribute to the problem of gym space in Newtown, however, we did not create the problem, as implied in the article. Men’s basketball was cut down to only one night a week for us. To compromise, we are now down to two teams. The middle school Cadet guard, an important “feeder” team, was cut. Quoted from the article are the words “The color guard cut us back four nights. They’re also taking Saturday afternoons right in the middle of our games with no consideration that we had to rearrange our schedule to accommodate them.” Who takes priority here? School activities or Parks and Recreation? There are health clubs and YMCAs in the region that offer the same programs. The color guard has nowhere else to go.

Sincerely,

Lesley Janutolo

39 Taunton Hill Road, Newtown                                  October 25, 2000