Ribbon cutting to usher in future

TAR HEEL - The Tar Heel School grand opening took place last Friday morning with a ribbon cutting to officially celebrate the much anticipated project’s completion. The early morning hours brought a receptive crowd from local residents, to current students and staff, to state congressmen and senators, as well as attended by the Bladen County School officials. There was food and festivities provided to those attended to celebrate the bright future of Tar Heel School.

The innovative project cost an upward of $47 million in state and district funding as Bladen County students will be the first to experience the future of public education. The new building is equipped with solar energy and Tar Heel will be one of the first schools in NC to have access to electric bussing. The parking lot also has electric charging stations that will also be available for public use in the future.

Tar Heel is one of the fastest growing schools in the county and the new building addressed issues the previous building couldn’t; there have been additional classrooms added to both wings of the school and the hallways have been modified to LED lighting in an effort to promote an Eco-friendly environment.

“This new facility will provide our students with the resources and environment they need to thrive,” said Bladen County School Superintendent Dr. Jason Atkinson. “We look forward to many years of success and achievement.” The project was manufactured and crafted by Bordeaux Construction, as they broke ground on a patch of land behind the original building in 2022. Two years later, the project has finally come to a close with the guidance of the Bladen County School Board throughout the long process.

The school has been equipped with a brand new gymnasium, fieldhouse, and a renovated cafeteria to combat the school’s recent growth. The remnants of the old building has been converted to the Tar Heel School sign as a lasting memory of the historic school that stood for nearly 100 years. The new school will house pre-k through 8th grade due to the consolidation of Plainview Elementary and the original Tar Heel Middle.

Students were able to experience their new school back in January as the building was near 90 percent complete towards the top of the year. Bladen County School Chairmen Tim Benton displayed his gratitude to the people that helped make this project possible from local residents, the construction team, to the county commissioners and state officials, as well as his fellow members on the school board.

Dr. Atkinson has said in the past that he hopes there will be similar projects in the future in an effort to keep pushing the Bladen County school system forward. The old school grounds have been paved into a parking lot but the memory will remain forever to many local residents that roamed those very halls as former students. The center logo and the scoreboard in the old gymnasium will be auctioned off during this week; $250 dollars is the minimum amount that can be bidded and the final day to place a bid is June 27th.

Elly Johnson from Bladen County Schools who helped coordinate and promote the event was also present to add more information to the story.

“Bladen County Schools proudly celebrated the official grand opening of the new Tar Heel School with a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning,” Johnson said.

“The ceremony, held at the new school site, began at 8:30 a.m. with a warm welcome and opening remarks from Bladen County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jason Atkinson and the town of Tar Heel’s Mayor ProTem Steve Dowless. The invocation was delivered by Tommy Puryear of Tar Heel Baptist Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by students from Tar Heel School. The national anthem was beautifully sung by Everlee Nance, a student of the school.

“The program featured insightful remarks from Blair Bordeaux of Bordeaux Construction, Robbie Ferris of SFL+A Architects, Vinston Rozier, former Chair of the Bladen County Board of Education, and Ray Britt, former Chair of the County Commissioners. Each speaker highlighted the collaborative efforts and dedication that brought the vision of the new Tar Heel School to fruition.

“Tim Benton, Chair of the Bladen County Board of Education, delivered the closing remarks, expressing deep gratitude to all who contributed to the project. He acknowledged the unwavering support from the community, school board members, county commissioners, construction teams, architects, and funding support from the North Carolina Education Lottery.

“Also at the ribbon cutting were Sam Shumate, Graham Overholt, and Katie Smith for being here on behalf of Senator Ted Budd, Senator Thom Tillis and congressman David Rouzer, respectively.

“The ceremony concluded with the official ribbon cutting—Tar Heel Students making the official cut, officially marking the opening of the new facility. Attendees then had an opportunity to explore the state-of-the-art school building, enjoy light refreshments in the cafeteria, and purchase memorabilia from the old school.

“The center logo from the previous school’s gymnasium and the old scoreboard are being auctioned via closed bid. The minimum bid is $250, and bids will be accepted at the school office until noon Thursday, June 27.

“The new Tar Heel School stands as a testament to the community’s dedication to education and the future success of its students. Superintendent Dr. Jason Atkinson shared his enthusiasm, stating, ‘This new facility will provide our students with the resources and environment they need to thrive. We look forward to many years of success and achievement here at Tar Heel School.’

“The celebration was a true community event, reflecting the shared pride and optimism for the future of education in Bladen County. The state-of-the-art facility symbolizes a new era of learning and opportunity for the students of Tar Heel School.”