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The Boys & Girls Club of Nowata and Tri County Tech have announced a partnership to construct a joint-use facility in Nowata to inspire children and adults to achieve their full potential by providing quality youth development services and life-changing learning experiences.

Tri County Tech Superintendent and CEO Lindel Fields said it means so much to see a 10 year goal come into fruition. He said he's happy knowing that the facility will impact so many lives in the area.

Fields said Tri County Tech has similar visions and missions with the Boys & Girls Club of Nowata when it comes to educating young people. He said working in the same facility will be challenging, but exciting. Ultimately, Fields said he believes the facility will provide a model for how entities in small, rural communities can work together to bring about something positive.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Tuesday afternoon for the state-of-the art facility, which will be approximately 22,500 square feet in size. The facility will be constructed at the existing Boys & Girls Club site and will include dedicated spaces for Tri County Tech and the Boys & Girls Club of Nowata and shared areas such as classrooms, a commercial kitchen, and community meeting rooms. 

Oklahoma House Representative Judd Strom said he's excited about all the opportunities the facility will present to the youth in Nowata. He said the programs that will be offered are innovative programs that are designed to empower the youth while helping them become good citizens that can live healthy and productive lives.

Rep. Strom said he couldn't be more proud of the people and the organizations that come together in the area to do these types of projects. He said he believes it's a benefit to our kids, our future, and our community to have people that work so hard to provide these opportunities to all.

The anticipated completion date is May 4th, 2022. The Boys & Girls Club and Tri County Tech leaders have embarked upon a capital campaign to fund the estimated $4.5 million construction cost of the proposed facility. Fundraising efforts have met with success, with just under $4.0 million in funds committed to date.