Yesterday, the day finally came to officially “cut the ribbon” on the new C.A.T.E. building in Reserve.

With eight additional classrooms, testing center, student services and administration offices, the Reserve Campus is ready to grow into the future of the River Parishes.

Classes have been held in the building since January, and the official ribbon cutting was the icing on the cake.

Students’ reactions to the new classrooms have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. With state-of-the-art equipment, large open rooms with plenty of light, it is just a better learning environment.

Instructors are more productive during class time and find their lectures and demonstrations are more readily acknowledged. Staff has the room to be more efficient, and the enhanced storage allows for a less crowded work area.

It had been a long dream of former Campus Dean Cynthia Poskey that she build this modern addition to the Reserve Campus. It was a long battle of the vision, waiting for the opportunity and then planning and fundraising the State’s required match.

Finally came the day that ground was broken and piles driven. Then came concrete, steel, brick and mortar. Slowly but steadily, the building rose up and took its own space in the River Parishes.

When you drive by it doesn’t resemble any other structure in the area. There is no confusing it with what is normally envisioned with educational institutions.

C.A.T.E. is what I like to think of as the phoenix of the River Parishes, the phoenix was generally believed to be colorful and vibrant and that is exactly what you will find here.

The building itself is a statement of modern technology. What the building holds is even more special — the hope of the future for so many families of the River Parishes.

The knowledge they attain here affords them the opportunity of long term careers in the Industries that line the banks of the river, creating long lived generations that continue to grow and improve the quality of life for all who live here in the beautiful River Parishes.

Penelope Freeman is Campus Dean for South Central Louisiana Technical College. She is at the Reserve Campus. Email her at penelopefreeman@ scl.edu.