A new building is in the works, and it will allow more room for teachers and students to work. The building will also allow for the vocational programs to grow.
“What we are hoping to do is to allow all of our vocational programs to expand,” principal John Crabb said. “There’s a lot of workshop areas in there that make three classes very tight, so moving one class out will allow both of the other classes to take more students and do more activities.”
Although the new building will mainly house the same classes, a new class is under consideration.
“There has been talk of adding an Agriculture Diesel class in the future to the agriculture program, but it will not be next year,” ag teacher Chris Evans said. “The new Construction Trades Building will be a great addition to HHS’ CTE Programs; it will allow room for the Building Trades classes to have multiple projects completed each year.”
The school has received a grant to erect the building.
“(The school) did get a grant, $850,000 grant, and that’s how this came about, and we’re hoping that we are awarded a second round of grants which will happen this year,” Crabb said. “We’ve already voted for it, but we haven’t heard back yet. That’s how the building is being built. There’s no local fund involved. It’s all grant money.”
The grant comes from the US Department of Energy.
“I think we qualified for that grant because we had so many coal mines in our area that have shut down, and it’s kind of giving back to blue-collar type work, and us building a vocational building fit, and that’s how we got awarded the grant,” Crabb said. “Hopefully, we get the second part of the grant so that we can continue to add to it.”
The new building will still be located close to the high school.
“(The new building) is actually going in the west end of where the white buses have been parked,” Crabb said. “The district purchased the two lots on the end back in the fall, and it will be a 60 by 120 building, a lot like the (shop) building, but it will be a little different.”
Though there is not a specific date, the building should be built by next year.
“We have been told that we will be moving into that building for the next school year; that remains to be seen,” Crabb said. “Most of the time, projects get delayed or whatever, and it may be a little bit later than that, but they’ve told us that our students will be in there in August when school starts.”
Evans believes that taking a CTE class can benefit students.
“Students can gain many hands-on skills in the CTE classes offered at HHS such as measuring, power tool use, sanding, painting, cutting, welding, electrical wiring, pipefitting, and much more,” Evans said. “These are skills that will launch students into job opportunities or prepare them for further education that leads to great jobs in the trades.”
Senior Max Maynor seems to agree.
“In my time of being at HHS I’ve taken carpentry, welding, and (worked with) small engines during my sophomore year,” Maynor said. “I would 100% recommend these classes to everyone because even if you already know how to do everything within the shop class, it’s always good to freshen up on your skills.”
