DETROIT, Mich. (WXYZ) — A new athletics complex opened Thursday at Communication and Media Arts High School, giving students their first home field after years of competing at other schools.
Students and district leaders gathered Thursday to celebrate the opening of a brand new athletics complex at Communication and Media Arts High School in Detroit.
The complex includes a turf field, lighting, bleachers for more than 1,000 fans, a scoreboard, and a competition-sized track currently under construction. The school's football program launched in 2015 and has hosted games at other schools and sites ever since.
Get a Look at the New Complex Below
For senior Jahari Andrews, the moment carried deep personal meaning.
"It means the world to me. Especially coming from a freshman, never seeing a field, to being a senior and walking on it for the first time, it's amazing," Andrews said.
Principal Tiffany Cox said the complex opens the door for multiple sports programs to grow.
"There's an opportunity to grow our programming for soccer, for lacrosse, for shot put, we have a wonderful track team already. So this field is all-encompassing. And we can't wait to be on it and win on it," Cox said.
The new complex is part of a $70 million investment by the Detroit Public Schools Community District in athletic facilities at schools across the city. Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti said the investment is about closing a long-standing gap for Detroit students.
"I know how talented our kids are, but how undervalued and under-invested their potential and talent is invested in. And being part of filling that gap, it defines why I became a superintendent," Vitti said.
Vitti also emphasized the role athletics plays in keeping students engaged and enrolled.
"Athletics is often the motivator to get kids in school and stay in school. So investments like this matter for retention and recruitment of students, but development of talent," Vitti said.
For student Rayna-Simone Walker, seeing the new facilities sparked a renewed interest in competing.
"It really gave me encouragement that I should really run track this year and get it back into my head. And just having the encouragement to finish," Walker said.
CMA is also working on a new gymnasium, which is expected to open next year.
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