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Gratitude, optimism abound during STEM academy opening

STEUBENVILLE -- Sentiments of hometown pride, gratitude and optimism about local students' futures abounded from speakers during the ceremonial opening of Steubenville High School's new Pugliese STEM Academy Sunday.

Much fanfare surrounded the opening of Steubenville City Schools' new 28,000-square-foot facility centered toward science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. Comments from government and city schools officials preceded a ribbon cutting, followed by tours of the building, which were open to the public.

Attached to Steubenville High School by a skyway, the STEM academy cost around $20 million to complete and was funded primarily through the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act and a donation from the Charles M. And Thelma M. Pugliese Charitable Foundation.

With three stories, the academy features new amenities to suit SHS's various STEM and career technical education programs, from aerospace engineering and health informatics to carpentry and global logistics and supply chain management. The building will be used for classes beginning in the fall.

The opening ceremony began with the national anthem, performed by the SHS Choir, followed by the pledge of allegiance.

Attendees next heard from Melinda Young, city schools superintendent, acknowledged the SCS Board of Education for its vision to construct a STEM facility and "foster an environment where innovation thrives, where curiosity is nurtured and where the leaders of tomorrow are empowered to explore, experiment and excel.

"They (the board) have navigated many challenges, secured resources to build this building without going to the local taxpayers -- and that alone deserves a round of applause -- and they collaborated with local stakeholders to ensure our students have access to cutting-edge facilities that will prepare them for their future."

Young also expressed gratitude for the academy's STEM leadership team, opening ceremony organizers, the Big Red band and choir, the city of Steubenville, the academy's donors and business partners, SHS staff members, community members, parents and students, whose "curiosity, determination and enthusiasm for learning are the driving force behind everything we do."

Continuing, Young said, "The benefits of this state-of-the-art Pugliese STEM Academy is endless. Our students will have access to the latest technology, cutting-edge science lab, the newest industry equipment and a collaborative workspace designed to inspire creativity and critical thinking."

STEM director Shana Wydra said it was an exciting day -- 2,326 days after she was first brought into her position with SHS.

Reflecting on how the academy project came about, Wydra noted how she, Young, SHS Principal Ted Gorman and SCS Technology Director Bryan D'Aurora met with the Rev. Jason Elliott, pastor of Steubenville's First Westminster Presbyterian Church, on March 23, 2018, "to see how we can utilize the great space of downtown Steubenville to create a state-of-the-art hub for our students ... (and) enhance our already successful STEM programs and continue our five-star academics."

That small group's brainstorming led to D'Aurora reaching out to "one of Ohio's leading STEM architects, which was Hasenstab Architects" and meeting with officials on May 16, 2018. That meeting set plans in motion, eventually culminating in Sunday's opening.

"Although we didn't officially break ground until October of 2022," she said, "we never put this project out of our grasp, and that's largely in part to Mrs. Young, Mr. Gorman and our fantastic board of education. Without them, this dream really wouldn't have become a reality."

Lee Kinney, the last of the original three trustees appointed to the Pugliese foundation board, recalled the foundation's history with SCS, such as around 2008, when it donated $1 million and paved the way for the school district to receive $17 million in tax-free bonds. The foundation also donated another $230,000 to start the SHS STEM program.

"Here we are today. We got asked again for another $1 million, and were again happy to do that. ... It's a really fabulous building, ... and what a great addition it is to Steubenville."

Tom Timmons, president of the Steubenville school board and a Pugliese foundation trustee, listed positive words that describe the STEM building and said, "One of the best schools in Ohio just got better, and the Big Red of Steubenville just got redder."

U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Salem, lauded the STEM program, calling it the kind of educational initiative that restores the American dream and makes students eager to learn again. He added, "Whether it's the state house or whether it's Capitol Hill, we (Rep. Brian Chavez, R-Marietta, and I) have your back."

Chavez himself noted he's the "product of a STEM-type curriculum" that made him passionate about learning and laid the groundwork for his future in engineering. He told students: "Please use this (academy), and it will reap great things for you. It will help you help yourself."

Giving students "unparalleled opportunities" is what sets SCS apart, Gorman said, adding, "There are jobs that are going to happen in this building today that aren't even created today. We're going to make jobs here." He noted the excitement felt by students and teachers alike upon their being shown the new building.

On display in the building was a commendation from the Ohio House of Representatives of the 135th Ohio General Assembly -- sponsored by state Rep. Ron Ferguson, R-Wintersville -- congratulating SHS on its new building and praising its dedication to education.

Following the ribbon cutting, attendees could tour the building and interact with teachers and students, who demonstrated new equipment from newscast production tech in the multimedia lab to a full-motion flight simulator in the aerospace lab.

In the science lab dissecting cow eyes and sheep hearts respectively were SHS sophomores Za'Harriyah Herring and Kaliyah Chamberlain, part of the SHS biomedical program. Both agreed the new STEM building will benefit their education, providing new tools and a lot more space.

Attending the ceremony and touring the building were Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Vice President Dan Justman and Glenn Ponas, director of high school outreach. AOPA is the organization that developed the curriculum used by the SHS aviation program, Justman said, noting that SHS AreoSTEM Director Natalie Campana was one of the first to adopt the curriculum in 2017.

"Just to see what (SCS) has been able to do to turn this into (a place where) they're turning out pilots and drone pilots and engineers -- it's absolutely incredible to see," Ponas said, adding how the curriculum is meant to train students in the hands-on skills needed to enter directly into the aviation workforce after high school.

The Big Red Marching Band performed outside for visitors, who could also partake from a number of food trucks lining Fourth Street alongside the school.