NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) – Over 100 people attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Huntington Middle School in Newport News Thursday morning.
The ceremony was at the site of the new school on 29th Street and Wickham Avenue, Newport News. The location is near the former school building.
Vikings of all ages came to the ceremony to experience a new chapter.
“My heart is full today,” School Board Chair Lisa R. Surles-Law said. “This is a long time coming.”
The former school building will become the Southeast Community Resource Area, and will have a public library, community center, sports features and a splash pad.
“This is going to be an anchor institution,” Newport News Mayor Philip Jones said. “When you think about the Southeast community, but also when you think about the entire city. This is one city united in making sure that we can double down and invest in our youth and invest in our children. They’re always going to be the future.”
Huntington Middle School was formally Huntington High School. The high school opened in 1920 and was the cities first school for African American Students.
In 1981, the building became a middle school. However, in 2018, the school closed after the building was deemed unsafe for students.
Currently, Huntington Middle School students go to class at Heritage High School.
The new school will be able to fit up to 600 students. Construction is expected to be finished by 2026.
HISTORY:
- Huntington High School was open from 1920-1971.
- The school was the city’s first school for Black students.
- Huntington was originally a wood building on 18th Street. The first brick building was built in 1923 on 16th Street.
- In 1936, Orcutt Avenue became the school’s final site.
- In 1971, Huntington became an intermediate school.
- In 1981, Huntington became a middle school.
- In 2018, the school closed because the building was deemed unsafe for students.