8.16.2010

From the Ashes...

March 1, 2007 is one of those days I'll always remember, like 9/11 or 2/25 (George Harrison's birthday).

We share stories about where we were (work. Rearranging my office furniture) and where our kids were (Savannah. Patrick was suspended and spending quality time with his dad as a result) when the F4 tornado struck and destroyed the high school (more photos here).

Today, I was fortunate enough to tag along with a group of engineers from my office to see the soon-to-be completed Enterprise High School.

EHS will be the largest high school in the state of Alabama, with 520,000 square feet located on 135 acres, and some helluva awesome features:
  • Three floors of classrooms, media and lecture rooms, and a chemistry lab that had me itching to pull out a lab coat and goggles

  • Multiple computer labs, hundreds of media-streaming screens, "smart boards" in every classroom and a high-tech auditorium

  • An indoor shooting range

  • An 8,000-seat football stadium, 3 full-sized basketball courts, and locker rooms galore

  • Price tag: $92 million
There may not be a specific dress code, but female students be forewarned: stick to comfortable shoes.

5 comments:

DavidShag said...

Your school sounds so impressive and I congratulate you. But I am thinking that while all these refinements are helpful to the good student, they won't really do much for the unmotivated or undisciplined ones, which seem to be the majority. Something is sadly wrong with education and I am not really certain what it is. (And isn't it odd that the word security word I have to type to post this is "brain"? - Or is it a sign...)

Sultan said...

One worries a bit about the "indoor shooting range" ...

ColleenQ said...

David: while I agree with you on a certain level, I believe we have to set the bar higher (groan - how I hate cliches!). Pride in being at school seems like a good place to start, and, if all else fails: EHS has corporal punnishment.

Laoch: all the better to turn out kids to enforce the "if you can read this sign, you are in range"...

TQ said...

What a beautiful rebuild. A side comment on your George Harrison reference. I learned from Danny yesterday that he saved Dylan's career twice! Pulled him out of seclusion, and put him back on his feet. So George's influence is still being felt.

kittycatlane said...

Sheesh, our high school, aka Dolly Parton High, are geodesic (hope I spelled that right) domes. They are at least 30 years old and just this year they are putting in air conditioning! Imagine, going to school in 2 inverted bowls, no windows and no AC! It's a wonder that no one has gone postal. I would have! BIG HUGS, Steph