New Fresno Unified Farber Educational Campus officially opens, replaces old Juvenile Hall

FRESNO, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – New beginnings for some Fresno Unified students this week. After years of construction, the district can finally house all of its alternative education programs in one spot.

On Friday, the district officially opened the new Farber Educational Campus, replacing the old Juvenile Hall that once stood in the same spot.

“This modern, light-filled building stands on the very spot of the county’s old, so-called ‘Hall of Shame’ an outdated juvenile correction facility,” Fresno Unified Interim Superintendent Misty Her said.

She says for her, the school is personal. At Friday’s ribbon-cutting, she spoke about how her brother spent much of his high school years in that building.

“And I still remember coming here with my mom and dad to visit him before he was sent away to the California Youth Authority. And after he passed away, it was so painful for me to drive down this street, let alone look at the remnants of the old juvenile hall,” she said.

But now, with its many windows, modern hallways, a student union, over 30 classrooms, a fitness center, and a library, Her says the new facility represents hope and healing.

“This is now a place where students’ dreams can flourish and not whither,” Her said.

The school serves alternative students of all grade levels. Her says students are able to excel here in this new environment. She says they even have CTE instruction too, focusing on everything from cybersecurity to warehouse management, offering many other certifications.

Paul Calvo was one of the community members invited to speak at the ribbon cutting. He says these kinds of programs do make a difference, and he’s proof.

He says he went to Cambridge Continuation High School because at the time, he was involved in gangs. He says Cambridge cared for him when other schools didn’t. While he did ultimately spend time in prison, when he got out, he already had an education and went on to enroll in Fresno City College before going to Stanford.

“To, you know, come back to Fresno and see this instead of the old juvenile hall. I love it. I love it. And I and I know the community loves it. And it just goes to show that we are serious about our youth,” Calvo said.

The campus is located at 720 S 10th St in Fresno.

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