SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP, Ohio — More than a year after a roof collapse forced hundreds of students out of their high school building, educators at Lakeside High School in Ashtabula County are refusing to let legal battles slow down their students' education.
The school is investing around $120,000 in new programs, including an esports class and a maker space with 3D printing capabilities, as students continue learning in a former elementary school building.
"I can't speak enough on how important it is to meet students where they're at," said Principal Douglas Wetherholt.
For students like senior Zion Thomas, the past year has been a lot of adjustments. So seeing a new esports class pop up was a welcome surprise.
"I didn't believe it at first," he said. "I think it means a lot to us cause we see the staff is trying."
In November 2023, more than five feet of snow caused the roof at the 17-year-old Lakeside High School to collapse. Since then, a legal battle between the school district and Liberty Mutual Insurance Company has delayed restoration or reconstruction work from beginning.
Watch News 5's reporting when the lawsuit was announced here:
"We want to go home," Wetherholt said. "We want to go back to our other school and have a true high school educational experience but we're doing everything we can to make sure they are involved and they're getting the best education we can in this environment until they can go home."
"They need something," esports teacher Tyler Wilber said. "We don't have a building, this is a lifeboat for us. We want to get back to the main ship so doing things like this will help the kids and helps us to have the kids excited."
The goal is for students to improve their multi-tasking skills, plus be exposed to new opportunities following graduation.
"Maybe I don't like to play the game, but I could get into computer programming or broadcasting on the side of that," Wetherholt said. "There are a lot of careers that are associated with different things that students can find success in."
Last month, the school district selected a contractor to demolish much of the roofless Lakeside High School building, though it's unclear when that work could begin.
Clay LePard is the Ashtabula, Geauga and Portage counties reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on X @ClayLePard, on Facebook ClayLePardTV or email him at Clay.LePard@wews.com.
