As Belinda Queen-Howard saw new schools sprout in Upper Marlboro — such as Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School — the Capitol Heights parent felt as if her neighborhood school, Central High School, was getting left in the construction dust.

The sight of dead tree limbs, large sidewalk cracks and poor drainage that existed before students began school Aug. 20 spurred Queen-Howard to form the Central High School Revitalization Group on Aug. 3 to advocate for renovations at the 53-year-old school and organize campus cleanups — a move only confirmed when she saw students cope with a broken air conditioning unit during the first week of school.

“They had the kids trying to learn in a place where there was no [air conditioning],” Queen-Howard said. “Central needs to update. They need to either revitalize it or just do a whole new Central High School.”