Overton Schools Break Ground On New CTE Building

Work has begun on the new Livingston Academy campus CTE building, slated to be completed by fall of 2024.

Director of Schools Donnie Holman said the goal of the new facility is to have more students graduate with certification in CTE programs each year. He said high schoolers will have consistent access, but younger students will also be encouraged to test the career waters.

“If they’re in middle school and they go over there and they become familiar with it a little, they might decide, oh no, that’s not what I thought it was, I want to do something else,” Holman said. “So, if they’re in middle school, that gives them a little time to trial and error.”

Holman said middle schoolers will not have to waste any time learning the basics of different careers. They will have a firm understanding of which programs interest them and which do not. He said it has been a long process, but he is glad to see work underway to give students a reimagined CTE experience.

“If you look at it right, its almost like we’re doubling our money,” Holman said. “By paying half, we’re getting access to have another half through the grant to have a nice facility for the students of our high school that we’ve ever had before.”

He said the large building will have three metal sides, and one brick side to match the high school. He said the interior will have tall dividers, allowing the building to be one big room, or split into as many as four smaller rooms where different projects from different programs can go on all at once.

“It will benefit our high school students, they’ll be able to go and use it an have access to it, but also, the plan is for it to work with some other programs with CTE where we can bring in our elementary or middle school students, our middle school students, and let them, as you might say, get a taste of what CTE is,” Holman said.

Holman said nearly half of the $1.9 million project will be paid for by an Innovative Schools Model grant.