Whitehaven STEM Center on track to open, principal says

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A groundbreaking was held Wednesday for the Whitehaven High Schools STEM Lab as the project moves forward.

Wednesday’s ceremony marks the next phase in constructing the almost $10 million Jim Herbert STEM Center, named in honor of a proud 1958 Whitehaven High School alumnus who donated $2 million toward the project.

“What we’re doing now is preparing children for the future, Whitehaven High School Principal Vincent Hunter said. “What we have to understand is, in order for our children to be internationally competitive, we have to have a background in science technology engineering and mathematics.”

When Herbert attended this school, Whitehaven was one of the top five schools in the country. He wanted to resurrect that by giving back something in his families name to help the community.

At one point, the future of this STEM center was in question after a funding issue.

But Principal Hunter said funding has been solidified with county commissioners and the school board, and he expects it to be open in 10 months, if the weather cooperates.

The state-of-the-art facility will feature cutting-edge laboratories, technology-enriched classrooms, and hands-on learning spaces, preparing students for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics — something 1966 alum and donor Ernestine Berrysmith says will benefit students when they go off to college.

“ A lot of times when children who don’t have a STEM lab, college is a rude awakening because the other students have spent class time and hours in a STEM lab,” Berrysmith said. “Students who do not have a STEM lab are behind, so this development will level the playing fields.”

MSCS Superintendent Marie Feagins says she wants this to become a trend for all of the schools in the district.

“These type of opportunities is what we hope will be a model for the district and serve to provide the way and elevate the way for our Whitehaven students,” she said.

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