By Lyndsie Ferrell
DEL NORTE— Students gathered on the Del Norte High School football field for one of the most important ceremonies in the school’s history last ThursdayBy Lyndsie Ferrell
DEL NORTE— Students gathered on the Del Norte High School football field for one of the most important ceremonies in the school’s history last Thursday. School officials and project heads planned for the event for a month and had something very special in store for the community who came to witness the groundbreaking ceremony of the new school.
Students were given orange hard hats to wear during the ceremony and the field filled with the school’s color as the crowd gathered around a small stage and shovels that would be used to mark the location of the new school. The ceremony was conducted by high school Junior Sophia McConnell who first introduced two fellow students who read comments made by the student body about what they were looking forward to with having a new school.
Many of the comments focused on the new facilities, having safe and comfortable classrooms and social areas where they could continue their education. One comment spoke about being able to have more students come to the school and how the school will provide a location where the students could be in one building, “I look forward to having all of the students together again.”
McConnell then introduced School Board President Neal Walters who took a moment to thank the community for coming out for the event. “I have a long list of people to thanks and want to apologize right off in case I forget someone. We had many community members who worked very hard to get us to where we are today, and without their efforts would not have been able to make this dream come true,” said Walters.
After naming key community members who helped form the bond committee, people like Mike Hurst with Del Norte Bank, Cory Off, Martha Williamson and Three Barrel Brewery, he spoke about the efforts of school Superintendent Chris Burr for starting the entire process by convincing the school board that obtaining the BEST grant was possible. “Chris spent the first six months here trying to convince me that he wasn’t crazy and that we actually had a shot at the BEST grant. He just kept saying, ‘yes, we can.’ Lastly, I want to thank the community of Rio Grande County. Without their support or their support of the community and our students, this would not have happened.”
Senator Larry Crowder took a moment to say a few words, “The BEST school program was established in 2008 and since that date, there have been 354 school that have benefitted from it. I think it is a very, very viable tool that communities can use to help with the cost of education in the 21st Century.”
Burr was the last to speak and started off with his gratitude for the community who voted to pass the bond in November which came up with the remaining $18 million needed to make the new school. “When I tell you you can do whatever you want, it’s true. There is nothing we can do more important than to not let our students settle. This new building will bring us all together; it will help solidify our sense of community and it will strengthen Del Norte as a school in this district.”
Several students took turns to dig into the football field with brand new shovels provided for the ceremony. The school is expected to actually break ground by July and will be completed by 2020.. School officials and project heads planned for the event for a month and had something very special in store for the community who came to witness the groundbreaking ceremony of the new school.
Students were given orange hard hats to wear during the ceremony and the field filled with the school’s color as the crowd gathered around a small stage and shovels that would be used to mark the location of the new school. The ceremony was conducted by high school Junior Sophia McConnell who first introduced two fellow students who read comments made by the student body about what they were looking forward to with having a new school.
Many of the comments focused on the new facilities, having safe and comfortable classrooms and social areas where they could continue their education. One comment spoke about being able to have more students come to the school and how the school will provide a location where the students could be in one building, “I look forward to having all of the students together again.”
McConnell then introduced School Board President Neal Walters who took a moment to thank the community for coming out for the event. “I have a long list of people to thanks and want to apologize right off in case I forget someone. We had many community members who worked very hard to get us to where we are today, and without their efforts would not have been able to make this dream come true,” said Walters.
After naming key community members who helped form the bond committee, people like Mike Hurst with Del Norte Bank, Cory Off, Martha Williamson and Three Barrel Brewery, he spoke about the efforts of school Superintendent Chris Burr for starting the entire process by convincing the school board that obtaining the BEST grant was possible. “Chris spent the first six months here trying to convince me that he wasn’t crazy and that we actually had a shot at the BEST grant. He just kept saying, ‘yes, we can.’ Lastly, I want to thank the community of Rio Grande County. Without their support or their support of the community and our students, this would not have happened.”
Senator Larry Crowder took a moment to say a few words, “The BEST school program was established in 2008 and since that date, there have been 354 school that have benefitted from it. I think it is a very, very viable tool that communities can use to help with the cost of education in the 21st Century.”
Burr was the last to speak and started off with his gratitude for the community who voted to pass the bond in November which came up with the remaining $18 million needed to make the new school. “When I tell you you can do whatever you want, it’s true. There is nothing we can do more important than to not let our students settle. This new building will bring us all together; it will help solidify our sense of community and it will strengthen Del Norte as a school in this district.”
Several students took turns to dig into the football field with brand new shovels provided for the ceremony. The school is expected to actually break ground by July and will be completed by 2020.