Miller R-2 cuts ribbon on new ag building

The Miller R-2 School District unveiled their new, multi-million-dollar agriculture building following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Sept. 17. This new teaching facility, made possible thanks to a passed bond issue, will put cutting-edge equipment into the hands of Miller youth.
Dustin Storm, superintendent of the Miller School District, took to the podium on Wednesday night to celebrate the grand opening of the building, more than two years in the making. Though the open house took place last week, the building has been in use by the district since the first day of school, said Storm.
Made possible by a bond issue passed in 2023, voters decided they were ready to support the large grey building attached to the main school. The bond allocated $2.9 million to be used in the construction of the structure but also provided for a new art room for the school as well, according to Storm. The school used grant money for funding once it came time to purchase equipment to fill out the building.
The district purchased welding rigs, desks, and other tools with a 75-25 matched grant that would reimburse 75 percent of the amount spent. In the end, the school spent about $300,000 for the hands-on teaching aids, but most was refunded thanks to the grant.
The new offering has a teaching area, said Storm, which will help further the education of participating ag students. Also featured will be state-of-the-art equipment like plasma cutters, allowing students to have direct interactions with tools they could be using in their future.
This was unveiled and on display at the gathering, where a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony took place for which the entire board of education was present. More than 50 people were estimated to have attended, as onlookers had to find standing room as the chairs had been completely filled. Following a short speech by Storm, attendees were invited to take a self-guided tour of the facility.
“Any time you have such a project, I think there’s a lot of community pride... We want to build something that can help with our students and prepare them for the workplace as they graduate high school, and we feel like this gives us the tools to give our kids the best opportunity for their future,” said Storm.