The South Stark Career Academy, a compact of Canton Local, East Canton, Perry and Sandy Valley school districts, was awarded $4.2 million to expand its offerings to include a heating, ventilation and air conditioning program, which will be based at Canton South High School.
"We are thrilled to expand opportunities for our students to acquire valuable skills that will make them immediately employable at a living wage upon graduating from high school," Canton Local Superintendent Brett Yeagley said.
The addition of the program is "a significant step" in meeting the demands of their students and community, Yeagley said.
Each year about 100 students are on a waiting list, unable to gain access to the compact's popular trade and industry programs, he added. The addition of the HVAC program will allow an additional 50 students each year to participate.
The new HVAC program will be housed at the Canton South campus, serving as an expansion to the existing Hayden Career Annex. The Hayden Career Annex is home to automotive, construction, welding/metal fabrication, and small animal science programs.