Building Our Future is the theme of our annual progress edition, which appears as a special section in Sunday's Standard-Examiner.
The theme refers to schools and their role in the communities they serve. The jumping-off point for dealing with such a broad topic is the recent boom in school construction and renovations across the five districts in our circulation area -- Weber, Ogden, Davis, Box Elder and Morgan.
I'm very pleased with how our reporters and correspondents were able to bring out in their stories the connections between community and schools.
Probably the most visible and certainly the most publicized local remodeling project over the past several years has been that undertaken at Ogden High School.
Most of the $65 million cost has been financed through bonds. However, private donors have stepped forward to the tune of $8.8 million to fund renovations to the school's historic stage and auditorium.
The original cost of Ogden High School when it was constructed as a New Deal project during the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration was a little more than $1 million, and it came to be called the West's first million-dollar school.
Janis Vause, head of the Ogden School Foundation, which raised the private funds for the auditorium, told reporter Nancy Van Valkenburg that the level of passion and loyalty shown to Ogden High is a first in her experience.
As part of Building Our Future, we have also produced a video documentary, "Million-Dollar School," about Ogden High and the renovation.
But for all the attention Ogden High has garnered, there are stories to tell about other schools, their community ties and impact.
Some examples from Building Our Future:
* The impact a major renovation has had on morale and the overall atmosphere at Ben Lomond High School;
* The building boom at Weber State University could have a positive impact on businesses near the Ogden campus;
* Odyssey Elementary, originally designed to be a magnet school for students throughout the district, has evolved into a community school, in turn providing positive impacts on the nearby neighborhood;
* The involvement of community residents helped shape remodeling decisions at Box Elder and Bear River high schools in Brigham City and Tremonton;
* South Weber Elementary School has a one-of-a-kind K-2 school-within-a-school;
* The decision to build the new Valley Elementary in Eden instead of in Huntsville, the school's long-time home, has had an impact on both communities and their residents.
That's just a sneak peek at some of the stories and information you'll find in Building Our Future.
It's a good piece of work and I recommend it to you.
Dave Greiling is managing editor of the Standard-Examiner. He may be reached at 801-625-4224 or via email at dgreiling@standard.net.
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