Less than six months after demolition hammers swung to kick off renovations, Lewis-Palmer School District 38 celebrated the opening of its new Career & Innovation Center.

The district had a ribbon cutting celebration Sept. 17 at the facility in Monument. The center expands career and technical education opportunities for D-38 students and represents years of planning by district leaders, staff and the Tri-Lakes community.

Superintendent Amber Whetstine called the moment “humbling” and “inspiring” as students, families, elected officials and other community members toured the transformed facility.

“Honestly, I feel humbled, inspired and overwhelmed with what the team has been able to accomplish in such a short time,” Whetstine said. “So many people had a hand in this, including our students, who provided the input into how we selected the programs. Their interests and the needs of the local economy drove those decisions.”

The facility opened to students last August after the completion of its first phase of renovations.

The ribbon cutting also followed a wall-breaking ceremony just last March, when nearly 100 guests grabbed sledgehammers to smash through interior walls in a symbolic start to renovations. That event set the tone for what district leaders described as a bold step toward bridging the gap between high school education and in-demand careers.

Wednesday’s ceremony included remarks from district leaders, a formal ribbon cutting and tours guided by students enrolled in the first wave of programs. Jessica McAllister, D38’s director of innovative programs, said from the outset that the initiative was about meeting both workforce needs and student aspirations.

The CIC presently offers pathways into engineering, advanced manufacturing and skilled trades. While Phase Two will introduce computer science, cybersecurity and healthcare programs. Presently, a separate wing houses D-38 Transition Services.

“This new center is not only for hands-on career exploration, but it will also serve as the new home for Transition Services, which helps students with exceptional needs develop skills that prepare them for independence and life after high school,” Board of Education president Tiffiney Upchurch said.

The expansion was born from years of community conversations about how to prepare students for life after graduation, she said.

“We’ve been meeting with parents and community members for years about what education should look like in D38, and over and over we heard we were falling behind in trades,” Upchurch said. “We wanted to make sure our kids have the tools to succeed. It would have been a disservice not to give them what they need.”

The fact the district opened the facility on a fast track in less than a year is remarkable, Upchurch said. Programs like healthcare, cybersecurity and unmanned air systems are going to give D-38 graduates a competitive edge in college and in the job market, she said.

The district purchased the building from Jabil, a manufacturing services company, at a price below market value, savings which officials said benefited taxpayers. The acquisition was also made without a mill levy override. The building’s existing infrastructure also made it a natural fit for technical programming, with electrical panels, compressed air systems, and industrial lifts already in place.

Whetstine emphasized CIC benefits both Lewis-Palmer and Palmer Ridge high school students by consolidating specialized programs in one location.

“They’ll take their introductory classes at their high schools, then transition here for capstone courses before they move into college or the workforce,” she said. “It’s a more efficient way to offer advanced opportunities without duplicating resources.”

The schedule also eliminates long commutes for students who might otherwise attend early college programs in Colorado Springs. With the CIC, students can remain in the community, build relationships with peers and teachers, and hopefully later in their lives give back to the community with their skills, Upchurch said.

The facility’s design includes adaptable spaces for multiple uses, from student programming to community initiatives. Leaders have also envisioned opportunities for younger students through camps, as well as adult upskilling and retraining in partnership with local industries and colleges.

While the first phase of programs is already underway, work continues on other parts of the building. The healthcare wing is temporarily being used for other purposes until additional funding is secured, and the cybersecurity wing will be developed on the second floor.

“We would love to partner with anybody who’d like to help us with furthering these programs,” she said, inviting business and individuals in the community to get involved with the facility and its programs.

“At the end of my time serving on the Board, it is an honor for me to see our vision of ‘elevating the futures of every student, every day,’” Upchurch said. “This new center is a strong example of that commitment.”