Senator Greg Reed (R-Jasper), President Pro Tempore of the Alabama Senate, Representative Matt Woods (R-Jasper), and Representative Tim Wadsworth (R-Arley) announced funding awards for K-12 schools in Walker County from the capital grant program.
The capital grant program was established in 2023 and implemented through the Lieutenant Governor’s office in order to provide grants to local schools to assist with capital projects, deterred maintenance, or technology needs.
“The schools in our community do an incredible job educating our young people and investing in their lives daily,” said Senator Greg Reed. “The sacrifice, dedication, and commitment displayed by educators helping our students aspire to reach their potential is remarkable. It is our job as legislators to ensure the schools and educators that pour into our students have the resources they need to do their jobs to the fullest extent. We are incredibly excited about the funding being awarded to schools in our community to carry out this incredible work. The students in our community will benefit greatly from this award, and I want to thank my colleagues Representative Matt Woods and Representative Tim Wadsworth for their support in ensuring these resources were awarded to Walker County.”
School districts could apply for these one-time grants and each application had to be approved by local lawmakers. Walker County and Jasper City Schools were awarded nearly 5 million dollars.
“Providing our students with a quality education, in a safe environment, is one of my top priorities,” said Representative Matt Woods. “Ballooning construction costs and rising interest rates have made capital projects almost impossible for many school systems. We are blessed with two outstanding school systems in Walker County. They are both filled with devoted educators and promising students that deserve the best facilities possible. I appreciate Jasper City Schools, and the Walker County School System prioritizing these projects and it was my privilege to support their grant applications. I also want to thank my colleagues, Senator Reed and Representative Wadsworth for standing steadfast as we fought to bring almost $5 million dollars back to our community. This is a huge win for the students, faculty, and future of our county!”
“Walker County is set to receive a significant boost in educational infrastructure with a funding allocation for the construction of a middle school,” said Representative Tim Wadsworth. “This substantial investment will be directed towards the Cordova school district, enabling the construction of a state-of-the-art educational facility. The funds have been specifically allocated to facilitate the construction of a new structure, which will replace the current Cordova Elementary school. This project is a testament to our commitment to providing the best possible learning environment for our students. We are thrilled to receive this funding, which will allow us to build a new school that will serve our community for generations to come. We look forward to the completion of this project and the positive impact it will have on our students and the wider community. We are grateful for this funding and the opportunities it presents.”
Educators in the community are excited about the award funding and plan to use the funds to make upgrades to existing facilities along with beginning new construction projects.
“We are excited to hear about the funding being awarded to the Walker County School System to help with the construction of a new Cordova Elementary School,” said Dr. Dennis Willingham, Superintendent of Walker County Schools. “Senator Greg Reed was the driving force behind this request becoming a reality. I also want to thank Representatives Matt Woods and Tim Wadsworth for the work they did and the support they gave. This grant came from the Lieutenant Governor’s Office so we know that Connie Rowe is continuing to work her magic to support Walker County and we are so grateful for her and Will Ainsworth. I also want to thank our CSFO, Andy McCay, for putting this package together for us and our board members for their continued support to move our school system forward.”
“We intend to use these funds to make upgrades to Walker High School,” said Dr. Ann Jackson, Superintendent of Jasper City Schools. “We plan to re-open this facility in the near future as we plan for growth. This grant will help us begin the process as we seek to create a learning environment that will foster learning and growth for our students. Positive changes are not just physical; they extend to the hearts and minds of our students, teachers, and the entire school community. Thank you to Senator Reed and Representative Matt Woods for your help in securing these funds as an investment in the future, and we are dedicated to ensuring that it yields dividends in the form of well educated, empowered individuals.”
