September 25, 2024 |
Photo – Albany County School District representatives Alex Krassin and Kim Sorenson and House 14 Representative Trey Sherwood cut the ribbon to open Antelope Creek School – by Matt Copeland Bigfoot99
The Antelope Creek School held its official grand opening Tuesday in Garrett, which is in Albany County.
Until recently, its new schoolhouse sat in Medicine Bow.
An hour north of Rock River, along a bumpy dirt road, sits the small ranching community of Garrett, Wyoming. For the past two years, Anne Anderson and her husband, Carson, have been in a legal battle with Albany County School District Number One to build a school for their two young children. The Andersons were told that the low population of Garrett did not warrant its own schoolhouse.
That all changed yesterday afternoon. Officials from Carbon and Albany Counties gathered with members of Albany County School District Number One for the Antelope Creek School ribbon cutting ceremony.
The schoolhouse is a building previously owned by Carbon County. The structure, which is split into two living quarters, was purchased using impact assistance funds with the intention of housing a sheriff’s deputy and road worker in Medicine Bow. However, the home was never needed and the building sat vacant for five years.
Upon learning of the Anderson’s demands for a school in their rural community, Carbon County Commission Chairwoman Sue Jones offered to sell the unused Medicine Bow building to the Albany School District for $80,000. After the sale, the modular building was moved from Medicine Bow to Garrett over the course of two days, traveling nearly 40 miles on narrow unpaved roads.
During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Albany County School Chief Operations Officer Randy Wilkison thanked the Carbon County commissioners and the state legislature, who contributed $300,000 toward the project, for making the Antelope Creek School a reality.
Next, Wyoming State Construction Department Manager John Rexius read a proclamation from Governor Mark Gordon stating that the establishment of the Antelope Creek School will advance the skills, knowledge, and achievements of Wyoming’s youth.
Governor Gordon was not present at yesterday’s ribbon cutting ceremony.
Albany County School District Number One Superintendent Dr. John Goldhardt said the Antelope Creek School would not have happened without the dedication of the Anderson family.
Rock River School Principal Stacie Anfinson, who will also oversee the Antelope Creek School, introduced teacher, Lexi Horblait. Anfinson said Horblait is a perfect fit for the small ranching community.
Horblait is from Wheatland and has been a teacher for the past four years. After learning about the opportunity to teach in Garrett, Horblait said her love of the ranching lifestyle compelled her to apply for the job.
House District 14 Representative Trey Sherwood and Albany County School District Board of Trustees members Kim Sorenson and Alex Krassin cut the ribbon, marking the official opening of the Antelope Creek School.
The first and only students enrolled for this school year are the Andersons’ children, Emmet and Waverley.
