Delhi Unified School District breaks ground on new Career Technical Education building
Delhi Unified School District officials broke ground Tuesday at the site where the district’s multi-million dollar Career Technical Education building will be located.
Those in attendance for the event included school district officials, educators, California State Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, representatives on behalf of Congressman John Duarte’s office and Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil’s office, as well as the Delhi High School’s Mariachi Band.
According to Delhi Unified School Board President Juan Pena, the CTE building was a vision of the Delhi Unified School District to provide more opportunities for students in technical career opportunities.
“This is going to be an amazing project for the students, and the students are the ones that are going to be benefiting from the CTE building, and we’re just so proud that this is going to be an addition to the beautiful education Ed Park,” said Pena.
During the event, Soria said it was important for her to attend the groundbreaking to congratulate the district on this milestone and a new beginning for the Delhi community. Soria said she was a student similar to those who attend Delhi High School, having grown up in a community of about 11,000 people.
“As a daughter of farmworkers myself, as a product of the public education system, I know the power of having good facilities, good schools, and good teachers,” said Soria.
According to Soria, investments such as the one in Delhi are important not only for the future of Delhi but for the future of the central San Joaquin Valley and California.
“I do believe that where our valley goes, California will go. That’s why it’s important that we take the leadership and invest in ourselves so that others can also invest in us,” said Soria.
According to district officials, the building will be used to teach students real-world technical skills in multiple disciplines, including metalwork, agriculture, computer-aid design, and fabrication.
“This building is going to provide us the opportunity to empower our students to be part of the workforce in the future. We firmly believe that the Central Valley is the future of California,” said Delhi Unified School District Superintendent Jose Miguel Kubes.
“The architecture of the building is such that it will allow us to adapt to any of the changes that happen in the workforce in the future,” said Kubes.
The district is also looking to expand opportunities within the CTE program to middle school students. According to Kubes, one of the district’s visions for the future is to provide middle schools students the opportunity to take classes allowing them to earn credit toward high school.
Funds for the new CTE building were made possible by the passing of Measure W in 2016. The bond measure authorized the use of $12 million for the building.
“The bond measure that went by was for twelve million dollars. Right now, we’re looking at about nine million dollars to complete the project. We’re hoping to be able to open the doors in August of 2024.”
According to Kubes, one of the district’s missions is to become a premier district by 2027 by focusing on academics, working environment, and being proactive with culture and climate.
“We firmly believe that this CTE building once again is beginning to carve a stone of hope that’s going to help us become that premier district for this community,” said Kubes.
