Image courtesy of Detroit Public Schools Community District
The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) celebrated a pivotal moment in its 20-year Facilities Master Plan (FMP) with the groundbreaking of the new Pershing High School, marking the first high school constructed under this ambitious initiative. This project aims to provide modern facilities that foster educational excellence and equity, reflecting the commitment of the local school board and Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti to enhance learning environments for all students in Detroit. The ceremony symbolizes a renewed focus on addressing the district’s longstanding infrastructural needs, offering hope for a brighter future for the community’s youth.
The new Pershing High School will be set up to provide students in the community with modern facilities designed to enhance both learning and engagement. This project underscores the steadfast commitment of the locally elected school board and Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti to foster an environment that prioritizes educational excellence and equity for all students in Detroit.
Dr. Nikolai Vitti is the first appointed superintendent, and she highlighted that she has already had many memorable and satisfying moments working persistently to rebuild the district.
“This groundbreaking ceremony is certainly one of my most treasured. In many ways this new school building defines literally and symbolically the rebuilding of a District that too many have ignored or never thought was possible,” Vitti said.
Symbolizing a broader initiative to address the long-standing needs of the district, ensuring that students have access to state-of-the-art facilities that support their academic and personal growth. The groundbreaking ceremony was not just a celebration of this significant development but also a hopeful step towards a brighter future for Detroit’s youth.
“Pershing High School defines the best of traditional public education and its greatest challenges. This is why building a new school here was so important to the reform,” Vitti said.
As the first of the five new builds, Pershing High School stands as a symbol of the right reforms for public education, growth, and investment in the future of Detroit’s youth. The project not only amplifies the District’s commitment to providing world-class learning environments but also highlights a transformative era in DPSCD’s history. The new facility will feature cutting-edge academic spaces, state-of-the-art science and technology labs, and modern athletic facilities—all designed to foster an
enriching, forward-looking educational experience. The existing Pershing High School, originally built in 1929, has served the community for nearly a
century.
“This investment communicates to ALL Detroiters and to the world that the children in 48234 deserve the same school facilities, and even a better one, than those who grow up in affluent zip codes,” Vitti said.
“This is a recipient that communicated that I, as Superintendent, and we, as a District would make things better for students and the community. As a District, we are unapologetic in saying ALL of our children in Detroit deserve a building like the new one that will be built here!”
With the building’s Facility Condition Index (FCI) score at 51, the school’s infrastructure has been deemed inadequate for 21st-century educational needs. Restoring the existing structure would cost approximately $40 million as of 2022, and due to market conditions, this figure has likely escalated since then. Construction on the new $77 million building will begin in early 2025, with completion expected by 2027, and the athletic complex slated to open in the spring of 2029.
“This is an investment in generations of families and children. It builds and continues the great legacy of Pershing High School that will now live on for another 100 years! This new school building will serve as a
model, as will the new Cody High School, of what a neighborhood high school should look like. It will remind everyone that traditional public education is not going away and is and will only become stronger with the right leadership and that we strengthen communities and continue to rebuild this great city through neighborhood schools,” Vitti said.
The FMP, which was developed through extensive community engagement, seeks to address decades of underinvestment in school infrastructure by providing students with safe, modern, and high-quality
learning environments. The plan includes five new school builds. The five new builds under the FMP include Pershing High School, Cody High School, Southeastern High School Annex, Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy, and Phoenix Academy.
The new Pershing High School building will feature modern classrooms, advanced science and technology labs, and cutting-edge athletic facilities. Additionally, the design prioritizes access to natural light, collaborative learning spaces, and enhanced security features, providing students with an environment that fosters academic success and school pride.
DPSCD Board President Angelique Peterson Mayberry expressed how proud she is to have spearheaded this work under the leadership of Superintendent Vitti.
“When the Board took office, we share the vision with Dr. Vitti when he first came to Detroit to focus on doing what is right for children. This groundbreaking serves as an example of what it looks like to put students first!” Mayberry said.
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