Washington Montessori Public Charter School held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday morning to unveil its new 20,000-square-foot building for high school students.

“I’ve seen this school grow over the past few years,” said Becky Taylor, a member of the state Board of Education who attended the ceremony. “(Washington Montessori) is a learning environment that is very prepared. It is student-centered.”

According to a press release, the $2.75 million project was managed by Stocks and Taylor, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and financed through Select Bank and Trust. The building includes seven classrooms with one science lab, a lecture hall and a gymnasium.

The building also has smart boards, day lighting instead of overhead lighting and energy efficient systems, according to the release.

Darla Prescott, director of education and academics at the school, said students had to transition into public high school in the past, but the new building will give them the opportunity to continue their education at Washington Montessori.

She said a small group of ninth graders studied out of a single classroom last year, waiting for the building to reach completion. This year about 34 students in ninth and 10th grades will be attending classes in the new building.

“I think, for me, that what makes me the happiest for the children is the continued education,” Prescott said. “It’s still nice to know we can offer that.”

She said the school’s 360 students are independent and well-behaved learners, and that model will remain as the school phases into K-12 during the 2017-2018 school year.

“It’s their responsibility. It’s their independence,” Prescott said.

U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones Jr., who also attended the ceremony, said education for children is of utmost importance, referring to the students as the “genesis of America.”

“That’s what makes America great,” he said. “This opportunity will make the greatest investment that we can have. … The world we live in today is so technically different than even a year ago.”

Jones said this is the third ribbon cutting ceremony he has attended for the Washington Montessori, as the school continues to grow since its opening in 2001.

“If you want to touch the past, put your hands on a rock. If you want to touch the present, put your hands on a flower. If you want to touch the future, put your hands on a child,” he said.