This year, with the completion of a school-wide renovation, students returned to a repaved and pristine parking lot. Seizing the opportunity that only a concrete blank canvas can provide, four MHS seniors, all marching band members, decided to ‘monopolize’ a few spaces of their own.
To achieve their design dream based on a band mate’s suggestion, Troy Maikowski awoke at the crack of dawn to be the first in line to reserve four adjoining parking spots. Lindsay Schermer, John Wilson and David Cullinan soon joined him and over a weekend, under the blazing Texas sun, the four designed, measured, taped, and hand-painted their version of McKinney High School Senior Monopoly on their four parking spots.
“It took us about 22 hours over two days,” recalled Maikowski.
Cullinan’s feet and legs were sunburned after being on all fours for so many hours, “but it was totally worth it,” he said.
Their supersized cement version of a Monopoly game board contains spaces that represent highlights of their senior year: Battle of the Bands, Prom, Morp (prom spelled backward, where girls ask boys), Band Banquet and Graduation.
Classic touches like the four railroads, chance cards and dice are included, too.
“We thought about painting ‘Go to the Principal’s Office’ with [MHS Principal] Mr. Herrington’s face on the 'Go To Jail' spot, but decided against it,” said Wilson.
These diplomatic students opted to paint the classic 1930’s Monopoly jail inmate profile on the usual ‘Go To Jail’ space instead.
As the group’s only female, Schermer prided herself on getting the boys’ painting styles up to snuff and her craftsmanship of the seventies-style puffy painted letters of her name.
The four friends are members of the McKinney High School Royal Pride Band. All are members of the Student Leadership Team (SLT), a select group which guides the rest of the 140-member band.
Maikowski is Drum Captain and plays quad tenor drums; Schermer, a flutist, is one of three Drum Majors; Cullinan is SLT Vice President and Saxophone Section Co-Leader, and Wilson is Loading Crew Captain and Trombone Section Leader.
The four musicians are all college-bound and have majors in mind. They may want to consider a career in art.
The supersized board ‘monopolizes’ four parking spots at McKinney High School. photo by Lynne Weinberger
