Groundbreaking Held for New J.E. Ober Elementary School

“When we design a school like this, we think about classrooms, gyms and hallways. But the truth is, the most important thing that happens at school isn’t about learning facts — it’s about the people. It reminds me of something. I remember being in school and walking into the place where I didn’t know very many people. For the first part, you feel very uncomfortable. And then somebody did something really simple. They said, ‘Hey, you want to sit with us?’ That was it. Just a few words, but in that moment everything changed. It went from feeling like I didn’t belong to realizing that I did. That’s what a great school does. It becomes a place where you feel safe, you feel welcomed, and you know there are people around you who care about you. To the students here, the new school is being built for you, for the students in the future. It’s a place where you will learn, yes, but it’s also a place where you will laugh, make friends and grow into who you were meant to be. But here’s the important part — you don’t have to wait for this building to be finished to start building something important. You are already building it today, every day. Every time you include someone, every time you help a classmate, every time you choose kindness, that’s what creates a great school.”

– Cory Miller, Senior Partner, Elevatus Architecture