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Hyde County cuts ribbon on needs-based grant project at Mattamuskeet School

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Mattamuskeet Industrial Arts Center in Hyde County. Ben Humphries/EdNC

The Hyde County Industrial Arts Center officially opened on Tuesday at a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by teachers, students, administrators, and other community members. Dr. Melanie Shaver, superintendent of Hyde County Schools, addressed a crowd gathered inside the new building on Mattamuskeet School’s campus.

“Today marks a significant milestone not just in the life of this building, but in the lives of our students, our families, and the community that it will serve for generations to come,” she said.

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The facility will house shop classes, agriculture classes, and other Career and Technical Education (CTE) program classes. And, with the new building and equipment, the school will be able to offer a brand new agricultural mechanics class, according to Allison Etheridge, principal of Mattamuskeet School.

“I’m so excited. I’m so excited for these children,” she said.

Inside the Hyde County Industrial Arts Center, attendees of the ribbon ceremony talk as others tour the building. Ben Humphries/EdNC

The project was funded by an $8.3 million grant from the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund (NBPSCF), which the county and school board applied for jointly. The fund, which was created in 2017, is designated for construction and repair of buildings at schools with critical deficiencies, with a high debt-to-tax revenue ratio, or that are located in a Tier 1 county, among other criteria.

The NBPSCF is funded by the North Carolina Education Lottery (NCEL), and representatives from the NCEL attended the ceremony.

Adam Owens, NCEL communications manager, said that while the money is raised through the lottery, it is through local, district, and state action that projects like the Industrial Arts Center are made possible.

“They’re doing the hard work, we’re just passing the money along,” he said.

North Carolina Education Lottery Communications Manager Adam Owens speaks to the crowd at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Hyde County Industrial Arts Center. Ben Humphries/EdNC

Speaking about the impact of the NBPSCF grant, Shaver said the need for funding is exacerbated by the unique topography of Hyde County. Mattamuskeet School and the only other school in the county, Ocracoke School, are separated by the Pamlico Sound. Crossing it is a more than two-hour ferry trip, one way.

Though normally the population of Hyde County might only necessitate one school, it would be unfeasible for students to cross the sound every day.

“So it’s almost like we have to run these two different districts, but the state funding (level) is at that one school,” Shaver said.

A recently-demolished building at Mattamuskeet School, torn down in advance of more NBPSCF construction. Ben Humphries/EdNC

More construction is planned at Mattamuskeet School, funded by a separate NBPSCF grant. Other campus buildings have cracked walls and failing roofs — currently, the gym is held up by temporary posts.

“We’re glad that one phase of the project is done, but really excited about the next phase as well, especially for the safety of our students,” Shaver said.