While walking past the televisions lining some hallways here, maybe you’ve wondered where they’ve come from and how much they cost. The Forest Scout was curious, too, so we set out to find the answers.
The televisions come in four sizes: 55” 65’’ 75” and 85”, and they range in cost from $350-$950, according to Chief Technology Officer Jordan Salus.
However, these numbers do not include the cost of mounting, which fluctuate based on the location of the TV. A ceiling-mounted TV, for example, is more expensive than the TV’s on carts.
There are also 55” displays in some classrooms, such as the Social Studies learning lab. Salus says those cost $250-$300 each.
Some of the large TVs – such as those seen in business classrooms – were acquired through District 115 Grants.
Dean Laura Clegg, formerly a business teacher, wrote a grant for a 65” TV, which was a part of a larger grant she wrote in February of 2017- nearly 7 years ago. The prices of the TVs purchased through grants commonly differ from the prices of TVs purchased through the school.
Grants are given to the school by the Lake Forest High School Foundation. The foundation raises money for the school and provides LFHS with equipment and purchases that the school is not necessarily able to buy on their own. According to the Lake Forest High School Foundation, in 2023 alone there were 12 new grants and one standing grant valued at $137,000. The community has donated over $3 million to the Foundation since 2002.
“A lot of the TVs in classrooms are purchased through grants. They are given to us from the Lake Forest Foundation which is not a school entity; it’s the parents that raise money and get donations,” said Clegg.
The TVs in the hallways display content including student and staff birthdays, student or athlete awards, ticket sales, advertisements for events, various school messages, and club announcements. Ashleigh Malec, the Director of Student Activities, oversees all content posted on the TVs.
Tatiana Sabin, Department Assistant for Student Activities and the Arts, helps with the content and graphics posted.
“Club sponsors for the most part know what they want to post. Most of the time I adjust the format size, we have to reformat the posters to fit the landscape TV,” said Sabin.
In the weeks leading up to Homecoming, the TVs showed promotional videos for Spirit Week and the dance.
TVs throughout the school are an expensive luxury. LFHS uses the TVs in the hall to share school values, announcements, and accomplishments, acting as a newsletter for students, staff, and visitors. The TVs in classrooms enhance learning for students.
