By Barbara Augsdorfer, Editor for the Effingham Herald

A celebratory groundbreaking was held July 18 on the Effingham campus of Savannah Technical College that will be the site of a new performing arts center and the Jack Hill Conference Center.

Local, state, and congressional officials were on hand to participate and talk about how the facilities will benefit not only Effingham County students, but the entire southeast Georgia coastal area.

Savannah Tech also held ribbon cuttings for expansion of its nursing program and commercial truck-driving programs – both of which aim to train local people for local jobs as Effingham and surrounding counties continue to grow.

“What a jewel this will be not only for Effingham County, but for this part of the state,” said Speaker of the House Jon Burns. “It will be a game changer as we hold events (and) as we work with our young people; as we make sure that they have their whole educational opportunities and broad reach, not just here for the performing arts. I'm really excited about it. It's long overdue.”

According to Effingham School District Superintendent Dr. Yancy Ford, the performing arts center is funded in part from Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) funds, a bond referendum, and state funding. The performing arts center has been on the school board’s radar in 2019. Funding for the project is already on hand, Ford added. The performing arts center building timeline is anticipated to be a “24-to36-month” project.

The performing arts center and Jack Hill Conference Center is a partnership between Savannah Technical College and Effingham County School District. The new facilities will be located on the north end of the Savannah Tech campus in Rincon on Hwy. 21.

“Today’s celebration marks a significant achievement in enhancing educational opportunities and workforce development in Effingham County,” said Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) Commissioner Greg Dozier. “The collaboration between the Effingham County School District and Savannah Technical College exemplifies the power of partnership in creating pathways for student success and economic growth. The new facilities and expanded programs will provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in a competitive job market.

“The power of this partnership only comes to fruition when you see the commitment to those partnerships,” Dozier added.

“The partnership between Effingham County School District and Savannah Technical College exemplifies our commitment to providing unparalleled educational opportunities and fostering workforce development in our community,” added Dr. Ford.

The Performing Arts Center will be approximately 100,000 square feet and feature an 1,800-seat auditorium, cutting-edge stage, sound and lighting systems, spacious dressing rooms, classrooms, a black box theater, and conference room. Located adjacent to the Jack Hill Conference Center, this new facility is designed to provide opportunities for students in fine arts to showcase their talents, while also serving as a cultural hub for the entire Effingham community and surrounding Coastal Empire region.

The Jack Hill Conference Center totals approximately 15,000 square feet, and will include a 5,000-square-foot multi-use banquet room, an executive conference room, and a catering kitchen. The Conference Center was named after Georgia State Senator Jack S. Hill, who served Georgia’s 4th District. At the time of his death in 2020, he was the longest-serving Georgia State Senator.

The conference center and performing arts center will share a 10,000-square-foot outdoor courtyard.

Two ribbon cuttings were also held to open expansions at the nursing suite and commercial truck driving program at Savannah Tech.

The new nursing suite expansion adds 3,500 square feet to include a classroom and a lab for hands-on training with hospital beds, patient simulators, and occupational therapy training space. The first cohort of 24 students is expected to begin using the facility in January, 2025. Graduates of the Associate of Science in Nursing program will be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses.

The Commercial Truck Driving training program at Savannah Tech’s Effingham campus has been expanded and upgraded. The driving pad now has room for two additional testing pads (31,200 square feet each) to use with the current driving pad. The program also moved from a mobile trailer classroom to a new 2,520-square-foot building with a 32-seat classroom, a simulation room with two truck simulators, offices, restrooms, a small vending area, and a break/lounge area.

In addition to its campus at Effingham County, Savannah Technical College offers Commercial Truck Driver’s License (CTDL) training at its Liberty County campus.