Central Junior High School celebrated a grand opening Sept. 25 that was the culmination of several years of planning and development.
Superintendent Dr. Jared Cleveland, Principal Dr. Todd Loftin, Rep. Steve Womack and Coach Darren Vaughn all spoke at the event.
Womack said Springdale educators are doing the hardest work on the planet to educate, train and inspire the next generation of leaders.
“Educating our children is the most important thing we will do as a society,” Womack said. “What we do inside these walls will bring about the next greatest generation of Americans.”
Vaughn discussed the history of the school, which was established in 1976 for students in seventh through ninth grade. Some 880 students currently attend the school.
“Although the old building is no longer here, we are still here,” Vaughn said, who’s taught and coached at the school for 36 years. “We are still here providing education and opportunities for our most precious assets.”
Central’s new building is one of many development projects resulting from an investment of about $200 million, Cleveland said. Some $140 million stemmed from the most-recent partnership phase with the state, while the School Board helped invest some $60 million more toward district development.
Additional recent district development projects include remodeling and growth projects at Har-Ber and Springdale high schools and Southwest Junior High School.
“We’ve done this without asking our local taxpayers for any money,” Cleveland said. “This is a powerful statement of what we can achieve when we prioritize our children’s future, and we do it in a way that’ smart.”
The grand opening was also attended by the entire student body, the district administrative team, the Springdale School Board, Rep. Steve Unger, Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse, Springdale Chamber of Commerce President Bill Rogers, Rep. Robin Lundstrom, Arkansas Highway Commission Chairman Philip Taldo, Archie Schaffer with Tyson Foods, City Council members and former school staff and alumni.
Central has a long history, Loftin said, noting how important it is to look toward the future as well.
“You are the future,” he told attending students. “You’re the future of our community, you’re the future of our state, and you are the future of our nation.”
He challenged students to be dreamers, leaders and difference makers in the world.
“At Central Junior High, we’re going to continue to create that great future through our arts, our athletics and our academics,” Loftin said.
