Five hundred dollars per semester. This is what it costs for New Trier students to reserve a parking spot. Every year, there is a high demand for these spots despite the high price. Other schools, even ones in the suburbs, may charge around 20 or 50 dollars for a spot. At New Trier, students apply for spots and many come up empty.

The disparity is present: New Trier, for all of its great resources in technology and education, simply does not meet ideal parking standards. The lack of space is certainly an issue and creating more space is not realistic. Ultimately, revisions need to be made. One that we suggest is priority access.

Before we explain, the fact of the matter is that after-school activities take away students’ time to study and do homework. Taking the shuttle or route bus right after school can get you home at 4 p.m. Getting picked up by a parent – perhaps even earlier. For students participating in sports such as volleyball, basketball, football, crew, etc., they have to practice after school every day for at least two hours. They find themselves home at a later hour, usually around 6 p.m.

The New Trier News edits the paper until 6:30 p.m. or later on Mondays and Tuesdays. Even extracurricular activities or clubs (especially “anchor clubs” like Student Alliance) may require its members to stay after school on a regular basis. All of these students get home quite late.

So this is our point: give parking spots to those who need it. Athletes already sacrifice their time to practices, games and tournaments. Commuting is a burden they should not have. Sure, one can always find other means of transportation, but a student-athlete often has more responsibility than just a student. A question asking whether a student plays an interscholastic sport should be inserted into the senior parking application. Those who answer “yes” would be given priority. Anchor club members should also receive greater consideration if they are required to meet after school regularly.

In general, options for transportation are more abundant to those who are not tied up in school activities. Some athletes and some anchor club members need to park in order to get home after an extended school day. Their applications must hold greater weight since their time is scarcer.  Free up parking spots for seniors who really need them.