Mingo County residents received an early preview of the new $37 million Mingo Central High School during a ribbon cutting ceremony August 12.
The school, will serve more than 800 students. Following the ceremony featuring several state and local leaders, student ambassadors provided tours of the state-of-the-art classrooms. The rooms feature smart boards, computer and science labs, and even art facilities.
"I'm really excited," said student Clyde Pruitt. "I love it and I think there are going to be a lot of opportunities to come out of this school."
Alpha Natural Resources and Nicewonder Contracting teamed up to provide the property, which was previously a mountaintop mining site.
“This school, along with the Mingo County Airport and the ongoing work on the King Coal Highway nearby are prime examples of what can be done when local and state economic and community development efforts are coordinated with mining operations,” West Virginia Coal Association Bill Raney said. “Had the county or state had to pay for the site preparation costs of this project, it would have pushed the project costs to perhaps double. This is a win for the industry, the education system, for the taxpayer and most importantly for the students of Mingo County.”
During the ceremony, the Mingo Central Miners’ new football field was named in honor of James H. “Buck” Harless and Harless’ longtime business partner Fred Shewey was honored with the naming of the accompanying wellness center. The school has adopted the West Virginia “Miner” as its mascot.
Classes will begin in the new school next week.