Gov. Beshear Awards $10 Million for the Construction of a New Vocational Education Center in Christian County
GOVERNOR ALSO AWARDS FUNDING FOR BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION TO BETTER SERVE KENTUCKIANS
HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 27, 2021) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear presented $10 million to the Christian County Public Schools Board of Education to support the construction of a new Local Area Vocational Education Center (LAVEC), which will be housed alongside a new high school.
“The current Gateway Academy to Innovation and Technology facility was built in the 1960s, and the most recent updates were two decades ago. During that time technology and the industries that drive our economy have changed significantly. I am excited we can help provide the funding for a brand new state-of-the-art facility,” said Gov. Beshear. “Career and technical education program facilities provide real opportunities to move our communities forward and continue our economic momentum.”
Christian County Public Schools currently has two main high schools and two LAVEC campuses. The district’s current construction plan calls for building a combined traditional high school and LAVEC facility on one academy-style campus.
The Gateway Academy to Innovation and Technology currently offers more than three dozen educational programs. When the new building is complete, the program will add even more programs like, cinematography and firefighting.
“Programs and opportunities like these are essential. They provide high-quality education and hands-on experience for our students, growth opportunities for our workers and a skilled workforce for our commonwealth’s businesses,” said Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman.
Christian County Public Schools Superintendent Christopher Bentzel added: “The Christian County Public School system is on an exciting path forward to give students new academic and career opportunities. We are grateful that Gov. Beshear and the Kentucky General Assembly recognize the important work we are doing here and have awarded this grant to Christian County. These funds will be used to build a vocational education center that will be housed at our new state-of-the-art academy-style high school. The future is bright.”
In Hopkinsville, the Governor also awarded $500,000 to the Christian County Fiscal Court to design and construct a new single span bridge to replace a wooden bridge on Davis Road (County Route 1086) that was closed this summer due to safety concerns. This served as a critical connection for residents, emergency responders, school buses and utility providers who have no vehicle access to these Kentuckians' homes.
On Sept. 1, as part of his Better Kentucky Plan, Gov. Beshear awarded Kentucky school districts $75 million to upgrade Vocational Education Centers, including the $10 million designated for Christian County. The grants were approved by the Kentucky School Facilities Construction Commission Board. Applicants were scored on several criteria including the age of the current vocational education facility and financial need. To learn more, see the full release.
Through a bipartisan agreement with legislators, the Governor’s Better Kentucky Plan aims to create 14,500 jobs and will help Kentucky lead into the future. The plan allocates more than $750 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to build schools, expand access to broadband and deliver clean drinking water and quality sewer systems across the commonwealth.