Federal Way High School hosts grand opening

After more than six years in the making, Federal Way High School recently hosted an official grand opening of the new campus.

City officials, district administrators and employees, students and community members were welcomed to the ribbon cutting ceremony on Dec. 5.

The $65.5 million project was funded by the 2012 capital levy, funds from the state School Construction Assistance Program, and the balance from a previous bond measure that came in under budget, the Mirror previously reported.

Originally constructed in 1938, FWHS had 12 major additions and remodels since then — up until the new building’s construction that began in late 2015.

FWHS students attended the first day of school in the new building on Oct. 17, 2016 with some parts of the building still under construction.

The enhanced learning environments provide real-life application of skills and will help scholars compete for, and succeed, in 21st century jobs, according to the FWPS district.

Some highlights of the building include the 400-seat performing arts theater, a health and sports medicine room, a state-of-the-art STEM classroom and wood shop, and more.

The modernized building also brings new opportunities for courses, such as a Pro-Start Culinary program, Advanced Manufacturing/Engineering Program, Computer Science, Sports Medicine and Principles of Biomedical Sciences, according to the district.

“This building is a game changer,” said Dr. Tammy Campbell, FWPS superintendent, at the event. “… This facility will outlive almost all of us here today. We will be gone and this facility will still be here, and if we did it right, it will serve scholars in the future.”

Campbell extended a heartfelt thanks to Federal Way voters who made this project possible.

“I want to again say ‘Thank you,’ to each and every one of you who have been instrumental in the construction of Federal Way Public Schools,” she said. “And I know that our scholars who are attending would be thanking you personally; I hear from each and every one of them how grateful they are … More importantly, we’ve said we’re serious about Federal Way being a city that’s leaning into its future and we know that schools are at the heart of that. So thank you voters, thank you community, thank you alum, thank you city officials, thank you board of directors.”

FWHS ROTC. Olivia Sullivan/staff photo

Mayor Jim Ferrell, center, and Sen.-elect Claire Wilson. Olivia Sullivan/staff photo

Superintendent Dr. Tammy Campbell, center, chats with King County Council member Pete von Reichbauer, right, and Federal Way Council member Jesse Johnson. Olivia Sullivan/staff photo