8:49 p.m., Tuesday, October 27th.

They sat grouped around a computer, chatting as they finished up the October paper deadline.  Two editors and their adviser, completely unsuspecting of what was about to drop down on them. Literally.

It crawled its way out of a hole in the ceiling, right above Mrs. Lee’s desk. It dangled on the cords that run up into the wall for half a second. And then it fell.

Chaos insued as one editor and the adviser screamed hysterically and ran away from the offensive creature. After being laughed at by the second editor, who found the entire episode hilarious, the group left the school, not waiting another moment to escape the varmint.

Rats. They’re a problem.

They’ve existed in this school for years. Seniors this year are not unfamiliar with the horror stories that make their way around school. The number of rat sightings this semester alone has set the school on edge. Rats in the ceiling, rats in the rafters, rats under refrigerators, rats everywhere.

Administrators have been seen running around the school, chasing after the problem and trapping all the rats they can find.

But students can help with the problem as well. We can stop leaving food and drinks out in classrooms and be sure that it all makes it into the trash cans. Rats have been a problem this year, but the school has seen worse in previous run-ins with the rats. We should be proactive in our efforts to keep the school healthy and clean.

Students can limit their on-campus munching to the cafeteria and student center where the school has placed trash cans and assigned janitors to help with any messes left behind. Even if you are allowed to eat in certain classes, those teachers will appreciate a mess free environment.

If students show respect for their school and pick up after themselves, the rat problem will remain manageable.