Sunrise Middle School held a ribbon cutting for their new athletic facilities on Oct. 14, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
KEARNEY — Sunrise Middle School hosted a ribbon cutting for their new athletic facilities during the afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 14.
The $2.5 million project brought new facilities including a new press box, track and turf field. The stands can accommodate 500 people.
Also part of the project were two new classrooms inside the building and a state-of-the-art Family Consumer Sciences Lab.
“We’re thrilled to share these new facilities with our students and community,” said Mark Johnson, principal of Sunrise Middle School. “This project reflects the pride and support our community has for our school and our student-athletes.”
To celebrate the new facilities, Sunrise students gathered out on the new field and spelled out “SMS” on the field, all the while a drone in the air captured the scene.
Superintendent Jason Mundorf spoke to the students gathered on the field and said that many high schools across Nebraska do not have facilities on par with what was recently constructed at Sunrise Middle School.
Prior to the start of the project, Mundorf expressed a desire for Sunrise be on par with the facilities at Horizon Middle School.
After the ribbon cutting, Johnson said that until recently, Sunrise only had a grass field and couldn’t fully use it at times, having to go over to the field at Horizon Middle School.
Johnson said the new facilities provide a great opportunity to hold more activities and to host the community.
Recently, seventh grade sports were approved which has increased the demand for practice and competition space. Johnson said the new space will be able to accommodate the demand.
When asked what he felt seeing the students on the field, Johnson said the sight made him emotional. He said he was glad that all of the students could take part in the event in this unique way.
In closing, Johnson said the new facilities will help to promote Sunrise Middle School in a new way and all of the positive things that go on with the Silver Hawk students.
