Spring is in the air at Dimond and many students have brought out their sandals to wear instead of warm shoes because of it.

Gwenna Nicholas, a senior at Dimond, wears sandals to school just about every day. She does not like the feel of the shoes on her feet as the weather warms up.

“I don’t know. Like shoes that my feet can’t be free in do not feel right anymore,” Nichols said. She further went to explain how her closed-toed shoes are not comfortable.

The sandal wear at Dimond is not just in a few of the students. All classes are wearing their Chacos, Birkenstocks, etc. It seems to be spreading the mood of summer all around the school.

“I love that it is getting warmer outside, because now my feet don’t freeze when I wear my Birks without socks anymore and I know that summer is coming,” Skyler Coleman, a sophomore, said.

Teachers have even been known to wear sandals. Scott Campbell, an engineering and astronomy teacher at Dimond, is notorious for not wearing shoes. During track he will run barefoot and all year round he wears his flip flops to school.

“I don’t think I have ever seen Mr. Campbell wear real shoes in school,” said senior Kylie Judd.

Campbell and many teachers ignore the snow and wear their summer sandals with the students.

Not all people agree with the freeing of the feet, however. Many teachers and students are shocked that there are others who can wear open-toed shoes, without socks, and not freeze.

“I do not like to wear sandals when there is still snow. I do not know how people do it,” Greta Germak, an Italian exchange student, said. Germak elaborated even more on her opinion, explaining that she thinks that it is still crazy that people can wear socks and sandals.

The students that do wear the sandals are aware that it is still cold outside, but they do not think that the cold should stop them.

“I am only outside walking to and from my car for about two minutes and I am inside for sixish hours, warm, every day so,” Natalie Mack a senior at Dimond said.

Gigi Powelson, another senior at Dimond, can also often be found wearing her chacos and Birkenstocks to school.

“I love that I can now wear my chacos, my feet feel free,” Powelson said and then proceeded to speak on how she knows it is weird to wear sandals with snow, but she does not think it is so weird that people should be shocked.

“I am an Alaskan, built tough and good in the cold. You could say that I am Xtra Tuff,” Powelson added. “Even if I can’t feel my feet, I’ll still wear my Chacos”.

Dimond High School is not completely divided, but the opinions on both sides are usually very strong.

Marianna Mountha, a senior at Dimond, is one of the many students that chose to wear their covered shoes or socks and sandals instead of letting their feet freeze.

“My feet cannot bear the cold. I have to wear socks if I wear my Birks,” Mountha said.

Students and teachers alike have many different opinions about whether or not it is time to break out the sandals or leave on the Uggs.

Either way, snow or shine, Dimond is full of passionate students and staff that will wear what they want when they want to.

The shoes or sandals controversy is just another way Dimond is the best in the land.