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Lakewood celebrates new West Shore CareerTech welding lab and Franklin School move after multimillion-dollar grants
Summary
Board members and administrators celebrated ribbon cuttings for a welding lab and the relocation of Franklin School of Opportunity to Lakewood High School; trustees credited administrators with securing state and other grants that funded the projects.
Board members and district staff highlighted ribbon-cutting events this week for the new West Shore CareerTech welding lab and the relocated Franklin School of Opportunity at Lakewood High School, calling the projects a milestone for district career-technical programming.
Why this matters: the new facilities create room for hands-on career pathways and, according to board comments, expand opportunities for Franklin School students within the high school campus.
Board members repeatedly praised administrators for pursuing grants that funded the projects. One board member said the district received a $1 million safety and security grant presented by Gov. Mike DeWine, and that administrators and the career-tech team secured a $5.7 million grant for welding and a related program the meeting referenced as MEMS. The board credited district staff and community partners with writing grants and coordinating ribbon cuttings that brought together students, families and officials.
Several trustees and attendees singled out Christine Gordillo for organizing three ribbon cuttings in one hour, and Bill DiMasio, the former West Shore CareerTech coordinator, was recognized for his role in obtaining the grant that led to the welding project. Board members described the welding facility's demonstrations, including an onstage demonstration cutting an iron bar at the ribbon cutting, as an example of the hands-on learning now available to students.
Discussion versus decision: this portion of the meeting was celebratory and informational; no formal board action was recorded related to these facilities at the Sept. 15 meeting. Board comments emphasized proactive grant-seeking and interdistrict collaboration with West Shore communities.
Ending: Board members said they look forward to students using the new career-tech spaces and to continued partnership with community and grant-making partners to expand programming.
