JACKSON – After a bought of winter weather postponed its first attempt, Saxony Lutheran High School students, staff, and supporters gathered Feb. 24 in the school’s new Agriculture Science Multipurpose Building for a long-awaited ribbon-cutting ceremony. The celebration, which coincided with National FFA Week, marked the completion of the first phase of a campus expansion and provided a dedicated home for the school’s growing agricultural science and FFA program. The afternoon event drew the entire student body and numerous donors who helped make the project possible.
Assistant Principal Melisa “Missy” Adams welcomed the crowd and noted the serendipity of celebrating during FFA week. She thanked guests for attending on the rescheduled date and told students that the new building marks “another milestone” in Saxony’s science education. Pastor Jacob May, one of the school’s pastoral advisers, opened the ceremony with a prayer of thanksgiving and a petition that the new facility be used to glorify God and equip students for “their various vocations.”
Principal Mark Ruark told the audience it was “hard to believe” the day had finally arrived. He reminded everyone that in 2014–15 Saxony Lutheran became the first parochial school in Missouri to offer an agricultural science curriculum and an FFA chapter, though the program had thrived for a decade in cramped, makeshift spaces. A 2016 strategic plan identified the need for a multipurpose facility, and a 2017 capital campaign set that vision in motion.
Despite a pandemic, supply chain delays, and rising costs, Ruark said, the project remained on course and today “celebrates the completion of a fully funded phase one project.” The multipurpose building houses agricultural science classrooms and workshops, provides practice and performance space for the arts and athletics, and will allow students to receive hands-on instruction in agriculture and technical fields.
Principal Ruark credited God for sustaining the effort and thanked a long list of donors and partners. He recalled former agriculture teacher Mark Berry and longtime board member Dale Steffens, both of whom died in recent years, as “driving forces” behind the program’s success and invited their families to the celebration. Ruark introduced Brittany Ladd, the school’s new agriculture science and FFA adviser, and charged her with carrying forward the legacy built over the past decade. He also acknowledged retired teacher Keith King, the Saxony Lutheran Executive Board and Board of Regents, and industry supporters.
The project was designed by Horner Architects and built by Bowler Construction. Donors and partners included Buckeyes (which provided financial support), Nathan Schilling and Gary Kester, former Board Chair Harry Schilling, the Cape Girardeau Technology and Career Center (which donated welding booths), Lucian Zalensky, Dutch Meyer, Rankin Technical College (which donated welders), and numerous businesses and individuals. According to Ruark, their generosity means Saxony will not incur debt on the new facility.
He said the building represents “growth, opportunity and the unwavering belief that our students deserve spaces that reflect their God-given potential.” Ruark emphasized that students in agriculture, FFA, the arts, and sports now have room to learn, lead, and create. After his remarks, he invited Pastor Nate to offer a blessing, dedicating the building to the glory of God. Members of the school’s Board of Regents and Executive Board lined up with Ruark and Ladd to cut the ceremonial ribbon. Students cheered as the ribbon fell, signaling the facility’s official opening.
Following the ceremony, guests toured the new workshop and classroom spaces while enjoying cookies and refreshments. Ruark praised students for their behavior and thanked them for their patience during the years of planning and construction. The Agriculture Science Multipurpose Building is the first step in a larger expansion that will eventually include additional classrooms, a secondary gymnasium, and a performing arts facility. For now, he said, the new facility stands as a testament to community support and a springboard for the next generation of Saxony Lutheran leaders.