New Doors Open In Pickens County

PICKENS COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) –  A vision finally becomes a reality in Pickens County, five years after the idea was brought to the table.

The Pickens County College and Career Center is a 4,300 hundred square foot building.

It sits on the site of the former Carrollton High School.

A ribbon cutting for the new $7-million dollar facility took place on Wednesday.

Dozens came out to tour the building.

The Pickens County Superintendent says taxpayers made this happen when they voted on a one cent additional sales tax for 30 years, back in 2014.

This ribbon cutting represents the future of Pickens County and an investment filled with opportunities for high schoolers.

The Pickens County College and Career Center offers college dual enrollment and career tech opportunities.

“We didn’t want to have a program just to have a program, number one. The automotive industry is wide open and so we have an industrial maintenance, that can translate into a computer, a computer program, you know, a car is nothing but a computer now. Our welding program is very strong.”

Courses are available for all 10th through 12th graders in the county, including public, private, and home-schooled students.

“I wanted to take maintenance just to try it out, you know? When I get older, have a family, have a house, I won’t have to call somebody to wire up my house. I can do it myself, but next year, I’ll be taking Agriculture Science,” says student, John Wesley Rye.

This Aliceville High School Senior says the new center was needed.

The old building was built in the 60’s and was starting to become too small.

“We were going to career center on Sapps Road and it was basically, like we were all coming from trailers. It was like you’re adding new people in,” says Halie Turner.

Health Science Instructor Natalie Lavender says this facility helps students know what direction they want to take in their futures.

Lavender says all of the courses prepare students for the next step they take in life after high-school.

“We offer pharmacy technician training, certified nursing assistant training, and patient technician training. So, for our students, it’s not a nursing program necessarily, but it’s a health science program for any aspect of medicine.”

Chapman says the new project is an opportunity for students and the community as a whole.

“Our county is shrinking in numbers and we said we want this to be the ignition. We want this to be the switch that will turn the key and let this be the economic engine that business and industry will know that we’re for real. That we’re about having kids that are college or career ready and if they’ll bring Business A, B, or C in here, tell us what you need them trained in.”

Chapman says 350 students are enrolled at the center, either taking career tech courses or dual enrollment.