Gov. Jim Justice Visits McMechen to Present $9.2M for New School
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McMECHEN - West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice presented Marshall County Schools officials with a $9,213,555 check that will be used to construct a new Benwood-McMechen School.
Justice was welcomed Thursday into the current Center McMechen Elementary School with a music performance by fourth and fifth graders. He also allowed the students to pet his English bulldog, Baby Dog, afterward. He noted Baby Dog was traveling in a yellow wagon because she recently injured her back legs after jumping off a chair. Baby Dog was cleared to travel with the governor, but is going to need surgery, he said.
Funding for the new school was approved by the West Virginia School Building Authority this past December. The authority approved a total of $111,687,534 for 19 counties across the state for 2024.
"We're honored here in Marshall County and we're blessed to receive $9,213,555 towards our new Benwood-McMechen School," said Marshall County Board of Education President John Miller.
Miller noted the new school will be the "last piece of the puzzle" for the district as it has already made many new improvements to its schools during the past couple years.
"We're very thankful to Gov. Justice for helping make that a reality," Miller added.
After hearing the students' sing, including one song titled "Dream On" by Ben Rector, Justice told the school's students that their dreams, even the big ones, could come true with hard work.
"You can absolutely do anything in this life," he said. "You can do it because of all the network around you of people who love you and care for you and want goodness for you.
"All of you can do this," he continued. "You have to dream big. You have to absolutely shoot for the moon. You have to be enthusiastic about what you do, fired up all the time."
As a thank you gift, the school presented Justice with a banner with a photo of all the students and staff at Center McMechen. They also gave Baby Dog a couple gift baskets with treats in them.
The SBA money will cover about 70% of the overall cost of the new elementary school. The remainder needed will be covered by tax levy funds earmarked for the new school.
The original school was built in the 1970s with the gym area built in the 1950s. The new school will be situated on a piece of land purchased more than a year ago in the Fourth Street area of Benwood. It offers about seven acres of space. There is a ballfield there now, but it will likely be moved. What will be done with the current school building has not yet been decided.
The school currently has 170 students. The new school likely will be about the same size. After hiring a design firm the design process will take about a year before any construction begins.