Camas High School (CHS) got a new announcer table on Nov. 29, bringing colorful graphics to Camas home games that wow the crowd. It had a 16-foot-long LED screen, and they got the table through the support of the Camas Athletics Boosters Club (CABC) and The Barbers.
Athletics is a very important part of any high school, especially CHS. The CHS volleyball team placed in the top eight in state, the football team placed in the top 16 and girls basketball went to Washington D.C. to play, so high funding into athletics seems natural. However, did the district really spend $24,000 on a single table? While that may be how much it cost at face value, it is not exactly how much the district spent on it.
“The [Camas Athletic] boosters paid $12,000 for the table, The Barbers paid $6,000, and then the athletic budget fundraised for the other $6,000,” Associate Principal and Athletic Director Stephen Baranowski said. “The justification for that is a table of that size, without a video board, is about $6,000.”
While the budget for CHS athletics is high, it is not high enough to simply drop $24,000 on a table, which is why they got backing from sponsors. The CABC and The Barbers sponsored the table purchase, and in return, they have permanent ads on the left and right sides of the LED screen.
The purpose of the new table is to play eye-catching animations for when someone scores, the Papermakers win a game and boost the hype in the audience during home games.
“As a player, I don’t notice it as much just because I’m so focused on getting ready for the game,” varsity forward Ethan Harris said. “I watched the JV games, and as a fan, it’s very helpful, and I love it.”
Another way the CABC helps out is by running concessions at sports games. In addition to this, they also work with student clubs to help them raise money for their club activities by helping out in concessions. One of these clubs that have been helping out is the Rocketry Club. The members compete in the American Rocketry Challenge, competing against about 1,000 other teams nationwide to build the best model rocket.
The Rocketry Club also builds and launches model rockets throughout the year, which costs a lot of money, so raising funds is essential. That is why working with the CABC to raise money for their club is very important. Along with making money, working concessions allows club members to bond as a team while working together to raise money.
“[Boosters] have been allowing us to work at concessions,” Rocketry Club treasurer Ivan Wu said. “A lot of us get to bond more as a team, which is pretty good.”
