By Lindsey Coulter

RIDGECREST, CALIF. — The Sierra Sands Unified School District marked a major milestone June 3 with the ribbon-cutting of a new 77,000-square-foot Richmond Elementary School at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, in Ridgecrest, Calif. The project restored a vital educational hub six years after earthquakes devastated the region.

The $97 million campus replaces the original 1953 school building, which sustained severe damage during the July 4, 2019, Ridgecrest earthquakes. The new facility features modern classrooms, collaborative learning pods, and dedicated labs for science, technology, engineering, arts and math—designed to serve more than 500 students, the majority of whom are military dependents. The project was made possible by a $78 million grant from the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC), while state and local contributions covered the remaining $19 million.

“Today, we recognize the district for completing a project that keeps faith with our service members, improves educational quality for defense-connected students and helps the Navy recruit and retain critical skills,” said Patrick O’Brien, director of the OOLDCC, in a statement.

The reopening symbolizes both a physical and emotional recovery for the Ridgecrest community. Richmond Elementary was among the many structures across the high-desert base damaged by the 6.4 and 7.1 magnitude quakes. Students and faculty were displaced to a temporary campus during planning and reconstruction.

“It didn’t matter what building we were in—Richmond’s spirit never wavered,” said Sierra Sands Unified School District Superintendent April Moore in a statement at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “This campus is more than bricks and mortar; it’s a promise that education endures.”

Despite the displacement, Richmond Elementary earned California’s Purple Star School of Distinction award for its strong support of military families—a recognition echoed during the reopening ceremony, which included Navy personnel, educators, elected officials and local families.

“This completed project directly supports the station’s mission readiness,” O’Brien said. “Families know their children can learn in a safe, state-of-the-art environment.”

Designed in collaboration with Navy STEM mentors, the school’s flexible spaces include movable walls, modular furniture and writable surfaces. Energy-efficient glazing and solar-ready roofs reduce operational costs and environmental impact.

Ridgecrest Mayor Travis Endicott called the new school “a testament to growth, resilience and optimism,” emphasizing the importance of reinvestment in public infrastructure following natural disasters.

Moore presented Richmond Elementary Principal Heather Miller with an American flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol—a gift symbolizing the school’s bond with the military.

“Military families make sacrifices every day,” Moore said at the ceremony. “Our responsibility is to give their children a place where they feel supported, inspired and empowered to thrive.”

Teachers will spend the summer preparing classrooms ahead of the new school year, as demolition crews finish clearing the damaged original site. Future plans include potential community athletic fields on the site.

“When we cut this ribbon, we opened more than doors; we opened futures,” Moore said at the event. “Strong schools build strong communities, and Richmond Elementary’s strength will carry forward for generations.”

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The school was unable to host a track meet for the last two years due to the track’s poor condition, making it unsuitable for athletes, according to Brad Boll, business manager for Beloit Turner School District.

The project was completed in two phases, starting last fall with the installation of new lights, a scoreboard, press box and sound system. The track improvements were completed this summer including expanding the track lanes to include eight lanes with nine sprint lanes, instead of the former six lanes; creating more space between the track and concession area; eight layers of rubber and glue being applied to the asphalt track surface in the coming weeks; new sod inside the track, and seeding around the outside is underway.

“In spring, the school will have at least four home track meets, starting April 16 against Parkview,” Boll said in a statement. “That’s a big deal for athletes who were not able to run at home in front of their parents and friends.”

Athletes will be able to wear their “home” jerseys for the first time in two years, thanks to the district’s commitment to bettering the facility. The renovations were almost nonexistent if it wasn’t for the persistence of the Beloit Turner School District. When voters were asked to vote on two bond referendums back in April 2008 — a $6.1 million referendum to improve district buildings and $2.5 million to upgrade the track facility and buy additional land — the upgrades to the track fell short of voter support.

Although the bond didn’t receive enough support, the project continued to stay afloat and under budget from what was requested in the referendum, as the district borrowed $600,000 through a state trust fund loan and paid a remaining $600,000 by using money from the district’s fund balance, according to Boll in a statement.

The new track facility has district officials pleased, as well as students in the area wanting to experience the new facility first-hand. The district had 200 students on a waiting list for this upcoming fall school year, according to Superintendent Dennis McCarthy in a statement.

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