Larry Calhoun, President of  Southeastern Technical College, was the Master of Ceremonies recently as ground was broken for an important addition to the Southeastern Early College and Career Academy (SECCA) campus and the curriculum.

“This is about a $1.3 million project to expand the building, which will enable us to offer new programs” he said. “When it’s completed, we will have carpentry, electric, masonry, and maybe plumbing.  But, actually, we’re not sure of exactly what programs will may be able to offer in the future. In addition, we’ll be adding two classrooms on the front of the building.”

Calhoun says a drawback to offering more programs in the past was lack of space, and notes that SECCA has a unique situation that other Early Career Academies across the state hasn’t had to face.

“There are approximately 80 career academies across the state and that’s one school system, one technical college,” he said. “This one is four systems coming together and we were the first ones to do that back around 2010. That enabled Toombs, Treutlen, Montgomery, and Vidalia to come together to offer these programs and it’s been a success. But we’re basically bursting at the seams for room.”

He said that the programs currently offered have also been successful, with every pathway filled with students from area high schools. Through SECCA, students are able to earn college credits in specific fields while still in high school.

The building is projected to be completed in the fall of 2027, and by that time, Calhoun, who announced his retirement recently, will no longer be in charge. But he says, he’s confident in whomever his successor will be in keeping SECCA growing.

“When Southeastern Technical College in Vidalia merged with the Swainsboro campus, Dr. [Cathy] Mitchell told me, ‘Go over there and build us a Career Academy facility,’ so I can tell you a lot of little trivia about the construction of this building as it is now. But it’s been a good building, and this construction is going to make it even better.”