BETHALTO - Civic Memorial High School senior students threw a “parking lot party” to decorate their parking spots and celebrate the first day of school.
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Bethalto Community Unit School District #8 students and teachers returned to the classroom on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026. Civic Memorial Principal Justin Newell was eager to welcome students back to school, and he is proud of the senior class for their work decorating the parking lot as they prepare to graduate.
“We are excited about the beginning of the school year,” Newell said. “It’s going to be a great year.”
Newell explained that high school seniors have been asking to decorate their parking spaces for several years now. Last year, they were allowed to decorate with chalk, but students asked if they could use paint for a longer-lasting project in the future.
Newell took their idea to the Board of Education, and Board members agreed to allow senior students to paint their spots this year. Earlier this week, the Class of 2027 spent the day at Civic Memorial decorating 80 parking spaces.
Newell noted that while the students had a lot of fun, he was mostly excited to see the sense of community that was created as the kids painted and connected with one another. Parents and community members also stopped by to see the projects, and the district supplied food for students to enjoy.
“It was a great little event to bring the Class of 27 together as they start their farewell journey,” he said. “What I loved the most is it became a community event because everybody in the school district was driving around, checking out their senior spots. We had parents and friends helping. More than anything, if you would ask me what I loved about it, it was the community aspect that it brought to our town. The kids just exceeded my expectations.”
While the students enjoyed painting their spots, Newell and his team were even more excited to welcome the kids to class on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Looking ahead, Civic Memorial High School will continue to build their “CM Next” program, an initiative that aims to give students hands-on learning opportunities and internships so they can “grow and become the adults they were meant to be.” The program encourages students to decide on and prepare for a career or college after graduation.
As part of this, Bethalto Community Unit School District #8 has partnered with Lewis and Clark Community College to offer classes with college credit for high school students. The high school has also increased its science offerings this year. The goal, Newell said, is to “expand those pathways and try to get more students involved in their careers.”
This is especially important for the senior students, who will graduate next spring. But all Civic Memorial students will enjoy the “Round By Round” theme this year and the mentorship provided by the new Trust and Inspire program, which aims to control the conditions inside the school to boost student success.
“This year’s theme is called ‘Round By Round,’” Newell added. “It’s kind of a boxing theme, and the idea is that every day the student steps into our school, it’s another round. It’s another round to get better. It’s another round to grow, and it’s another round to get closer to what you were made to do.”
The point of these initiatives is to encourage students to work hard and come to school every day prepared for future success. Newell hopes every Civic Memorial student has a positive start to the year, and he looks forward to sharing the year with the students and teachers who create the school’s community and culture.
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