Years of dreaming, hard work and planning are finally becoming a reality for Centralia School District. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 8, 2018 at 1:45 p.m. at Ford’s Prairie Elementary to commemorate the beginning of construction on the new elementary school.
The event was attended by school board members, community members, Forma representatives, parents, teachers and – most importantly – students, who wore bright yellow construction hats to celebrate the occasion.
Superintendent Mark Davalos noted that this is the first time in over 30 years that a bond has passed in Centralia and the first time in over 50 years that a new Centralia school has been erected. Davalos said the occasion was a time to celebrate the accomplishments of those who worked so hard to create a “better place for students.”
Ford’s Prairie Principal David Roberts thanked parents, school employees and volunteers who dedicated their time to knocking on doors, hanging fliers and advocating for this cause. He shared the story of one young student who lamented the temporary loss of her playground during construction and assured her that a much better one was coming, along with a new gymnasium, cafeteria, STEM room and more.
Roberts led students in a cheer to thank the voters, school board members and volunteers who are giving them this gift and encouraged them to pay it back by working harder and learning more than ever. The students joined Roberts in singing a special song with the simple yet affirming lyrics, “I am smart – very, very smart – and when I’m working harder, I’m getting even smarter.”
For Roberts, who has served as school principal for 14 years, Centralia’s new schools are an important tool in “unlocking students’ love of learning.”
As the speeches concluded in the heat of the day, the students’ yellow construction hats could be seen waving in the sun, fanning their tiny faces, sending off reflective sparks of light and making a faint popping sound like a flurry of popcorn. The sound soon gave way to wild cheers as the board members, Davalos and Roberts dug their ceremonial shovels into the earth, followed by the digging of select students from each classroom. This moment marked the official beginning of an extensive and very important project – one which has already been in the works for a long time and whose fruits will be enjoyed for generations to come.
