A groundbreaking ceremony took place Wednesday for the Logan County Career Center at Paris High School. The Tyson Foundation provided a $266,600 grant to assist in the construction of the new educational facility. The building will serve as an Arkansas Tech Career Center (ATCC) satellite location in Paris.
The facility will allow Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus to provide courses in automation technology, allied health and adult education in the Paris community.
“We are so appreciative to our partners at the Tyson Foundation for their support of our educational mission,” said Bruce Sikes, chancellor of Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus. “These monies were solicited through the City of Paris with assistance from the Ozark Campus, Ms. Pat Edmunds at Arkansas Tech Career Center, Paris Public Schools, Dr. Lee Lane of Paris and Mr. Jim Rofkhar, Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus Board of Advisors member from Altus. By working together, private industry, local school districts, the City of Paris, Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus and the State of Arkansas are vested partners as we endeavor to provide training for the regional workforce.”
The ATCC satellite at Paris enables access to credit-bearing credential, certificate and degree attainments offered through Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus.
The classes will provide high school students with concurrent college credit at no charge.
In addition to students from the Paris School District, students from County Line, Scranton and potentially Magazine will have the opportunity to gain concurrent credit through the ATCC location in Paris.
Adult learners will have the opportunity to take both GED coursework and industry training classes as a result of the new facility.
“The satellite has garnered legislative support from Senator Gary Stubblefield and local Representatives Jon S. Eubanks and Bill Gossage,” said Sikes. “Gov. Asa Hutchinson has also provided a mechanism to initiate sustainable funding through the Department of Arkansas Career Education. This project is an example of the private and public sectors working together for the greater good. Arkansas Tech-Ozark is pleased to be involved in such a meaningful effort.”
The event included a check presentation of a $266,000 grant from Tyson Foods of Springdale to the city and the Paris School District.
The building is expected to be complete in January 2017.
Photographed (from left): Chair of Economic Development Dr. Lee Lane, State Representative Jon Eubanks, Senator Gary Stubblefield, Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus Chancellor Bruce Sikes, Paris Schools Superintendent Wayne Fawcett and Manager of Tyson River Valley Animal Food Jim Rofkahr.
