Sarpy County is a step closer to having it's first Boys & Girls Club. On Thursday morning ground was broken on a new facility that will be attached to Bryan Middle School.
President and CEO Ivan Gilreath, says it will be a 14,000-square-foot facility and they will share an additional 14,000-square feet with Bryan Middle School, which will include a new gymnasium.
Gilreath says they will see about 300 kids each day. "We eliminate transportation with this model. The kids will walk right over into the club and they'll have a hot meal, a safe environment. They will get homework help."
Gilreath says they will also provide kids with new technology that they otherwise would not have access to. "We're going to have drones and drone obstacle courses, virtual reality and state-of-the art computers and Apple equipment."
The new club is scheduled to open at the beginning of the 2019 school year. Similar clubs at Florence Elementary School and Millard Central Middle School in Omaha are scheduled to be open the first day of school this fall.
The school will also undergo about $19 million in improvements, thanks to a bond issue that was passed in 2014. The upgrades include replacing the fire alarm system, emergency generator, exterior windows, carpet and boiler. A fire sprinkler system will be installed and there will be a video intercom system and key card access.