Poca High School students and staff participate in groundbreaking ceremonies for the school’s College and Career Ready Facility.

In June of last year, the State School Building Authority (SBA) announced the awarding of a Major Improvement Project (MIP) grant of $1 million to Putnam County Schools. The grant along with about $500,000 in local funding caused dirt to fly at groundbreaking ceremony at Poca High School on Friday, April 21.

When construction on the project is complete, the school will be 2,000 square feet larger and better equipped to provide biomedical and agricultural course offerings. Bio-med and agriculture curricula require hands-on learning experience.

Putnam Superintendent of Schools John Hudson said the new facility will better prepare students to step directly into the workforce or to pursue a college degree. PHS principal David Harper said that the addition was long over-due and is pleased that students will have additional opportunities.

The new facility is slated for completion during the 2023-24 school year.

Major Improvement Project (MIP) grants are designed to address major improvements in existing facilities that are not fundable through the local maintenance budgets. MIP Grant awards must be at least $50,000 but cannot exceed $1,000,000. Putnam Schools’ request to fund the College and Career Ready Facility expansion at Poca met every MIP grant criteria and qualified for the maximum award.