Johnstown Christian dedicates new addition
by Vicki Rock, Daily American, updated September 6, 2016
Owen Lehman, one of the original board members of Johnstown Christian School in Hollsopple, thinks the new addition to the school is wonderful.
“I never thought this would happen,” he said. “You know, this spot we’re on now (the school auditorium) was a cow pasture.”
The 102-year-old Thomas Mills resident still lives on the family farm. He was a farmer and a school bus driver. He led the crowd in one of the prayers of thanksgiving at the dedication Aug. 29 of the new $1.2-million addition.
Students moved into the new building for science, technology, engineering and math in February. Phase III has now been finished. That focused on the fine arts, with an updated and enlarged art room and music suite. It includes a new shop area, an elevator, renovations to administrative offices and enhancements to the outside of the building.
Administrator Dr. Kathy Keafer thanked people for donating money, equipment and labor.
“So many of you have been faithful in your giving of time, talents and money to this project,” she said.
She said that several years ago, the administration wanted to upgrade facilities and upgrade computers and the science lab, but didn’t have the money. The Wheeler Family Trust donated a half million dollars.
“We started to erect the structure, then others came forward,” Keafer said. “Donations came to help with uninteresting things, like drainage ponds.”
One of her favorite stories was of a maintenance staff member, who took his father on a tour of the school.
His father knew of another school that had put in a geothermal system and was no longer using its old air conditioning system. That school sold almost $50,000 worth of equipment to Johnstown Christian for $7,000.
Other businesses made donations of equipment and furniture. H.F. Lenz Co., a Johnstown engineering firm, donated computers.
Another grant came through the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies. Dean Yoder, a graduate of Johnstown Christian, was the contractor.
Board president John Huston said it is a great facility that will serve the community well.
“The community came forward to complete this project,” he said.
Daniel Hostetler, a freshman, said he is looking forward to the new technology: the 30-computer lab and the recording studio, which has not been finished.
Nellie Kabler, a senior, said the art room used to be in the basement. There is a new art room.
“You don’t know how excited we are to have windows,” she said.
The 72-year-old school has 220 students. Johnstown Christian was founded in 1944 by a group of Mennonite families. It was reorganized in 1973.
by Vicki Rock, Daily American, updated September 6, 2016
Owen Lehman, one of the original board members of Johnstown Christian School in Hollsopple, thinks the new addition to the school is wonderful.
“I never thought this would happen,” he said. “You know, this spot we’re on now (the school auditorium) was a cow pasture.”
The 102-year-old Thomas Mills resident still lives on the family farm. He was a farmer and a school bus driver. He led the crowd in one of the prayers of thanksgiving at the dedication Aug. 29 of the new $1.2-million addition.
Students moved into the new building for science, technology, engineering and math in February. Phase III has now been finished. That focused on the fine arts, with an updated and enlarged art room and music suite. It includes a new shop area, an elevator, renovations to administrative offices and enhancements to the outside of the building.
Administrator Dr. Kathy Keafer thanked people for donating money, equipment and labor.
“So many of you have been faithful in your giving of time, talents and money to this project,” she said.
She said that several years ago, the administration wanted to upgrade facilities and upgrade computers and the science lab, but didn’t have the money. The Wheeler Family Trust donated a half million dollars.
“We started to erect the structure, then others came forward,” Keafer said. “Donations came to help with uninteresting things, like drainage ponds.”
One of her favorite stories was of a maintenance staff member, who took his father on a tour of the school.
His father knew of another school that had put in a geothermal system and was no longer using its old air conditioning system. That school sold almost $50,000 worth of equipment to Johnstown Christian for $7,000.
Other businesses made donations of equipment and furniture. H.F. Lenz Co., a Johnstown engineering firm, donated computers.
Another grant came through the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies. Dean Yoder, a graduate of Johnstown Christian, was the contractor.
Board president John Huston said it is a great facility that will serve the community well.
“The community came forward to complete this project,” he said.
Daniel Hostetler, a freshman, said he is looking forward to the new technology: the 30-computer lab and the recording studio, which has not been finished.
Nellie Kabler, a senior, said the art room used to be in the basement. There is a new art room.
“You don’t know how excited we are to have windows,” she said.
The 72-year-old school has 220 students. Johnstown Christian was founded in 1944 by a group of Mennonite families. It was reorganized in 1973.
