photo by: Joselyn King

The makerspace area of the new Innovative Learning Center at Wheeling Park High School was unveiled to the public Monday night. Picutred from left are Ohio County Board of Education member David Croft; Nicole Shepherd, alternative education coordinator; and Bridge Street Middle School students Alicia Harvath, Cooper Davis and Ryder Stan.

WHEELING – Officials with Ohio County Schools officially opened the doors to the future of innovative learning at Wheeling Park High School on Monday night.

The ribbon was cut at the doors to the Innovative Learning Center inside the school’s former media center on the second floor, where technology and cooperative education now are the focus.

The center was paid for solely through funds generated by the $42.2 million bond issue passed by Ohio County voters in 2018, and is a major part of the more than $24 million of the sum earmarked for upgrades at WPHS.

The massive space is now divided into separate areas for specific purposes.

A makerspace area includes 3D printers, Cricuts, Glowforge laser printers and sublimation heat presses for use in school projects such as making t-shirts.

Seven separate “huddle” areas can be found throughout the innovation center, and it is here where groups of students can gather for group discussions and collaboration on classroom learning.

A unique “kiva” or round room in the center is a classroom with whiteboard walls upon which students and teachers can write and draw. It is expected to be used especially for math classes.

Meanwhile, a “green room” area will be great for demonstrating physics concepts and other scientific ideas, explained JoJo Shay, innovation coordinator for Ohio County Schools. It also will be used for multimedia purposes, and includes green screen and technology for podcasting, she said.

“It is just exciting to see everything coming together. It’s five years of work. To see kids here creating and learning is just so special,” Shay continued.

A small lab in the room contains white boards hanging on the wall that can be removed and used by students. But behind the curtains of one corner of the Innovative Learning Center was a surprise that was unveiled Monday night.

There is a presentation area located there, where the very successful WPHS speech and debate team can practice their craft as they work toward their 43rd consecutive state championship.

Photos of retired speech team coach Fran Schoolcraft and current coach Bill Cornforth are already on the walls of the presentation area, which will be considered the “home field” for the speech team.

Speech team captain Logan Frazier noted the Beneke Auditorium, where the speech team has practiced in recent years, is presently closed for renovations. Members instead have been practicing in the classroom, or in the new Patriot Point spot at WPHS.

He added hundreds of people have been members of the WPHS championship teams over the years, and that alumni are “family.”

“One thing about family is having a home,” he continued. “For the last few weeks, we have been traveling between spaces and we can now say we have a space in Wheeling Park High School we can call just our own.”

Frazier added the presentation space will be an area where the speech team can function as a team and build communal spirit.

The unveiling of the presentation room was intended as a surprise for Cornforth.

“It was a surprise,” Cornforth said. “I’m speechless.”

He was equally impressed with the entire Innovative Learning Center.

“It has amazing technology and is fun,” Cornforth said. “It’s both playful and exciting.”

Social studies and math teacher Brian Leggett – also the school’s wrestling coach – is in charge of the Innovative Learning Center. He said the first class is scheduled to come in during second period today, and three others are set for later in the day.

And the schedule is quickly filling up for the future, according to Leggett.

As the Innovation Center has many separate areas, multiple classes can be scheduled there at one time, he explained.

Ohio County Board of Education member Pete Chacalos, a retired teacher, found the possibilities of the Innovative Learning Center exciting.

‘I definitely could see myself wanting to bring kids here,” he explained. “And if I feel that way, you know there have to be 100 other teachers that feel the same way.”

Among those attending the opening of the Innovative Learning Center were local West Virginia Board of Education members Dr. Jim Wilson and Robert Dunlevy, as well as former Ohio County Schools Superintendent Larry Miller, former board of education member Chris Carder, and Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron.

Superintendent Kim Miller thanked the voters of Ohio County for passing the bond issue in 2018, as well as project engineers McKinley and Associates for bringing the project to life.

“There were a lot of challenges along the way, but a lot of people saw the end of the tunnel,” Miller said. “They knew what best for the kids was to create an innovative space where kids could learn, collaborate, share ideas about what they want to do in the classroom.

“We cannot wait for our students to be a part of this,” she added.