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Students, parents press Howard County Board to prioritize Centennial High renovations over further delays
Summary
Dozens of Centennial High School students, parents and community members told the Board of Education at a May 1 public hearing that the 48-year-old building’s failing HVAC, leaks, pests, overcrowding and unsafe athletic facilities create health and safety risks and demand earlier capital funding.
Dozens of students, parents and community members urged the Howard County Board of Education on May 1 to accelerate renovations at Centennial High School, saying a long-delayed project endangers health, safety and learning.
At a public hearing on the fiscal 2026 operating budget and the FY2027–2031 capital improvement plan, current and former Centennial students described frequent floods, falling ceiling tiles, unventilated classrooms, rodent sightings, malfunctioning toilets and an HVAC system they said dates to the school’s 1977 construction. Parent and community speakers added that some outdoor athletic fields are steep and uneven, that portable toilets are used for sporting events, and that limited access routes could delay emergency response.
The student testimony cut across grades and student organizations. “Our building is not only past its best by date. It’s to the point where it’s making you sick,” said Angela Huang, a junior and SGA liaison. Several students said…
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