Gov. Beshear’s Senior Advisor Rocky Adkins Presents $1.5 Million to Paintsville Independent to help establish new STEAM Career Center

W.R. CASTLE Fire-Rescue’s groundbreaking ceremony for their station’s construction was held on Oct. 27, with senior advisor to the Governor, Rocky Adkins, joined by Rep. Bobby McCool, Sen. Phillip Wheeler, and Rep. Billy Wesley from the General Assembly present along with Commissioner Jessica Click, Judge’s Office, Regina McClure, county attorney, Mike Endicott, Jailer Steve Rose, EM Director Gary McClure, Joe Jacobs of Big Sandy ADD and many other local and state officials as well as representatives from their builder, Mefford Contracting.

By Lilly Adkins

BSN Associate Editor

PAINTSVILLE —On Monday, Rocky Adkins, Senior Advisor to Gov. Andy Beshear presented $1.5 million in funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to help renovate the old bank building on Main Street in Paintsville into a vocational learning space for middle and high school students.

The vocation learning center will be for students 7-12 grades, known as the STEAM Career Center and it will be within walking distance of the high school and middle school and is projected to serve 500 students annually.

“We know that the best investment we can make is in our future,” Adkins said in a release regarding the presentation. “Our students are the future of Kentucky, and they deserve every opportunity to get ahead and be successful. This new career center will prepare these students for the jobs of today and of tomorrow.”

“The new Paintsville Independent Economic Development STEAM Career Center is going to provide our students, community members and regional partners opportunities and options,” Paintsville Independent Schools Superintendent, David Gibson said. “Our students will be able to decide which one may suit them best. Investing in our region and helping our students achieve success and reach their dreams I sour ultimate goal.”

The renovation plan proposes to modify the old bank building to support engineering labs, an allied health space, a sound studio and a meeting space. Programs expected to be offered will include nursing; phlebotomy; marketing and entrepreneurship; computer programing; advanced manufacturing; culinary arts and media and sound production, the release said.

Several businesses have agreed to provide equipment and expertise to help with the new STEAM academy, the release said. Paintsville Independent Schools bought the old bank building last year and received $2.5 million in state funds to establish the STEAM Career Center. The additional $1.5 million comes from the base program of ARC.