The local community nonprofit organization Build Pagosa continues to build momentum toward construction of a regional workforce center (RWC).
The RWC will serve Archuleta County and the Southwest Colorado region by providing the much-needed facilities to expand our community’s career and technical education (CTE) and job services.
Working in collaboration with Archuleta School District, Build Pagosa’s RWC will be located adjacent to Pagosa Springs High School and provide the space to transform high school CTE courses like building trades, automotive, welding, health sciences and more.
Outside of school hours, Build Pagosa will work in partnership with other educational partners, like Pueblo Community College, to offer career-focused coursework to the community at large.
While the vision for this project stretches back more than seven years, fundraising initiatives have gained momentum in the last year. The project has received support through several avenues.
Through a collaboration with the Town of Pagosa Springs, the project is on track to accept $600,000 in generous support from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. The organization has also received grants from the OpportunityNOW program and the Boettcher Foundation, in addition to hundreds of thousands contributed by generous, engaged individuals and families.
This spring, Sen. John Hickenlooper sponsored a $1 million congressionally directed spending allocation, which was included in the most recent federal budget passed by the Congress. This earmark is now being managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a community facilities grant. Build Pagosa is working closely with colleagues at USDA and elsewhere to accept this federal funding.
ASD Superintendent Rick Holt and Build Pagosa Director Will Ridlehoover agree that the future looks bright for CTE in Pagosa Springs.
“The RWC is going to unlock the potential of our schools’ CTE programs in a transformational way”, said Holt.
Ridlehoover added, “Investing in career focused education in Pagosa is going to have a positive economic impact that we’ll feel for generations.”
As Build Pagosa enters the final stretch of fundraising for this project, its board of directors would like to invite community members to participate and contribute.
“We’re confident that Build Pagosa will have the resources to get this project off the ground soon. If folks in the community have been considering getting involved, the time is now,” said board president Larry Ash.
If you’re interested in learning more about Build Pagosa and the RWC, and connecting with the community of CTE supporters, you’re invited to the sixth annual auction on May 10 at 5 p.m.
The event, hosted at the Ross Aragon Community Center, will include a BBQ dinner and drinks, live and silent auctions, live music, and fun. Featured items will be made by Pagosa Springs High School CTE students and include custom mini bikes, garden sheds, utility trailers, birdhouses and more. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
Tickets are available at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/embed/ticketing/1d92c740-b03a-413a-bf5d-749b977c70ff?modal=true.
