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Washington High School currently offers boatbuilding courses and is looking forward to a new building to house those classes. Last week, the Beaufort County Schools Board of Education held a called zoom meeting to review bids for a new structure to be located on the north side of the Washington High School campus. The bid proposal was approved, and a vote passed to accept the bid from Stocks and Taylor.

This 3,200-square-foot building will allow students hands on experience in boatbuilding and prepare them for continuing education in the boatbuilding program of study at Beaufort County Community College as well as other construction management programs within the UNC system.

The need for this program arose through the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment conducted every two years by the Director of Workforce, Innovation, and STEM for BCS in collaboration with Economic Development office, NC Works, and Beaufort County Community College. This assessment brought attention to the need for skilled craftsmen in local industry. Wendy Buck Petteway, past Director, wrote a Golden Leaf Grant request to fund this project, and several other program enhancements for BCS, after recognizing the dire need for skilled craftsmen in several areas.

Project completion is expected by spring of 2023.