LET THE SUN SHINE .. The site of a future greenhouse at Delta High School awaits delivery of the structure. The facility is being added as part of a 16-career exploration program funded through a $2.5 million state career tech education grant.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
New and upgraded facilities are complete or nearing completion at Delta High School thanks to a $2.5 million career tech education grant through the state.
The district was awarded the grant in September 2024, which is funding the creation of 16 different career labs where students use online modules and hands-on learning about everything from the trades to health care and media to engineering.
Superintendent Doug Ford said the programs have been an instant hit, and while they are geared toward freshmen and sophomores, students at all grade levels have access to them.
According to Ford, the high school’s home economics room was remodeled to include some new equipment, and other existing space was remodeled into a career exploration lab.
He said they installed a new dust collection system, bought new welding equipment and a new CNC machine, and are about 90 percent finished with the agriculture lab.
The remaining items just getting going are a greenhouse, which has been ordered, and a commercial kitchen for canning, meat processing, and other work related to what is grown in the greenhouse.
“We hope both of those will be done before the end of the year and we can have an open house. That’s the target,” Ford said.
Ford said students can continue from their work in the labs to related courses at Four County Career Center or by working a job available to them while they are in high school, to help build their next step.
“We’re committed at Pike-Delta-York schools to career exploration with our students and helping them find their passion for whatever comes next after graduation,” he said.