It won’t be long before the high school is the oldest facility being used by Okarche Public Schools students.

And it’s barely more than a decade into its existence.

The Okarche Board of Education last week awarded a contract to ATG-Ram Industries LLC to construct new softball and baseball facilities.

The complex, on which work will begin in the coming weeks, will be built directly north of the high school and is scheduled for completion toward the end of March 2023.

“After this project, every building and/or facility on our campuses will be less than 12 years old,” said Superintendent Josh Sumrall.

Every school building and every organization will have a new, state-of-the-art facility.”

Both the baseball and softball fields will be 100 percent artificial turf – both the infield and outfield.

The project will also include dugouts, bleachers, bleacher coverings and a restroom/concession facility.

ATG-Ram will oversee the entire project and turned in a base bid of just under $3.88 million.

It’s the second time Okarche has gone out for bids on the project, but bids last spring came in well over budget.

Sumrall said some changes were made to the plans and the project was sent out as a whole this time as opposed to separate jobs.

Awarding of the contract comes just as construction is about to wrap up on a new band room for students.

“The high school was constructed in 2010, which is now the oldest facility on campus,” noted Sumrall. “The elementary, gymnasium, speech and drama black box theater and new agriculture education and technology education building were all constructed in 2019.”

Most of those projects were completed on the strength of a $26.1 million bond issue that was passed by voters in 2016.

“We are extremely appreciative of our facilities and the support the community of Okarche has for the school system,” Sumrall said.

However, he added, the district won’t need a bond issue to fund this project.

“We are also very blessed with being able to construct this new complex without asking the district taxpayers for a bond issue,” he said. “This is being paid for by money saved by the school district over the last several years.”

organizer, said.

Peterman prefers that volunteers commit to the entire day, but said that businesses who volunteer to cover a booth are welcome to trade out employees.

Volunteers at each booth are given all the information necessary to help students with the financial decisions that have to be made there, she said.

Peterman said Reality Check is well-received every year by students, many of whom are getting their first real look at the financial realities of independent adulthood and the consequences of unsound spending practices.

Anyone interested in volunteering for the program or getting more detailed information about the planned booths can contact Peterman at lindy.hoel@okstate.edu or 405-375-3822.