The following is a letter to the editor from Judy Trunsky, Marie Murphy vice president of the Avoca School District 37 Parent Teacher Council, in response to a poll on whether New Trier Township High School should sell ads on school property and give naming rights to big donors. Trunsky was in the minority of the poll's 61 respondents, with 62 percent voting against the proposal.

Earlier: New Trier to Discuss Naming Rights, Advertising

It is clear that New Trier High School's infrastructure needs help. Given that the recent referendum to address this issue failed, and given the state of the economy, it is unlikely that the necessary resources required for such an undertaking will be available within our community. It is time for the New Trier community to think outside the box. What if New Trier were to ask for financial assistance from the private sector? For instance, imagine a state of the art science wing sponsored by Abbott Labs, a Kraft Foods cooking lab and cafeteria, perhaps desks and tables from Crate and Barrel. Obviously, there have been no commitments, but imagine all of the possibilities from the businesses that live and thrive in the New Trier community. While it is necessary for the school to be in charge of curriculum, companies could potentially lend their given expertise to our students -- think internships and mentoring. It is time for a change. If we are unable to raise capital sufficient to maintain our school through traditional means, then we as a community need to come up with an alternative.

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