Greene County Breaks ground on new High School
Snow Hill, NC - On Friday, July 19, 2024, Greene County Schools broke ground on the construction of the new Greene Central High School. Greene County along with Greene County Schools supported by Rep. Chris Humphrey and current US Rep but former State Senator Don Davis secured funding from the Department of Public Instruction for the 60 million dollar construction of a brand new high school. The new school will replace the current school that was built in 1960.
Dr. Frank Creech, Superintendent of Greene County Schools shared “The groundbreaking was a public recognition of the beginning of construction on the new Greene Central High School. The event was exciting as we look forward to all the new school will provide for our students, teachers and community. It was also an acknowledgment of how important Greene Central High School is to this community. The new school will be a continuation of the rich legacy of Greene Central that began over 60 years ago and will continue for decades to come. “
Greene County Board Chair Joey Rackley commented at the ceremony that as a Greene Central Grad, former teacher, and now Board Chair this was like a dream come true. “Having spent most of my career at GCHS and knowing the need and now getting to help lead this change is a dream come true, not just for me but for the whole community.” He shared “I am so excited for our students and the community. Our students deserve this state of the art facility. It will serve our students and community for generations.”
Greene Central Administration Laura Brown (AP), Dr. Patrick Greene (Principal) and Rashida Yellock (AP) pose for a picture at the Greene Central ground breaking.
Representative Davis shared that the school was more than a school, “Its the center of the community. In Greene County this is a symbol of unity for all of us.” During the ground breaking Davis thanked the community, fellow NC General Assembly member Chris Humphrey who was also part of the effort and the county commissioners for their dedication to “getting this done.”
The School is being built using funds that were part of a need based grant and lottery dollars that are allocated each year to provide for school construction. Representative Humphrey shared that this was an effort that was shared by a large number of people and that he was more than excited to see it come to fruition.
US Rep. Don Davis addresses the crowd at the ground breaking for a new Greene Central High School
Board Member Mason Dyer, GCHS Alum, who is also a father of 1 GCHS Grad and a rising Senoir shared “The new facility will be state of the art allowing our students to learn in a very neat atmosphere utilizing current technology. The modern architecture will be a landmark for generations to come. It’s one of the most exciting things to happen in Greene County. On the backside of that, both my wife (‘94) and I (‘92) attended as well as two of our three children will or have graduated from the existing building. It will be bittersweet to see it go but refreshing all the same. Change in most instances is hesitantly accepted but tends to hand a good outcome. Our youngest will be about the 2nd full class to graduate in the new facility. But only a few of the many classes to eventually walk the new halls. I am very excited and glad to have been a part of the current Board and affiliated with such a monumental circumstance. “
During the ground breaking the architect, construction company, and many others were recognized. The crowd of Greene County residents, commissioners, school staff, elected representatives, and the press enjoyed the brief ceremony to launch this new construction.
If all goes according to plan the new Greene Central High School will open its doors in the Fall of 2026. The existing building will be torn down to make way for parking and other parts of the new campus. The class of 2026 will be the final class to graduate from the old building. The excitement is filling the air in Greene County as this new endeavor begins. Stay with Neuse News as we cover the project throughout the next several phases.
Below are the Artist Renderings of the New Greene Central High School.
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