Education program wins $2.5 million grant

Special presentation ceremony planned for Saturday, September 12 in Wilder

Meridian, ID - Students in Canyon and Owyhee Counties are one step closer to having a new home for the area's technical education program.

Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick today joined the federal Economic Development Agency (EDA) in announcing a $2.5 million grant to help the Canyon-Owyhee School Service Agency (COSSA) build a new Regional Technology Center in Wilder. The Agency worked in close collaboration with Sage Community Resources (Sage), to win the funding.

"I have been a big fan of COSSA from the earliest days of my short time in office," Minnick said. "When we first realized the amazing work the Agency and its partners do for students in southern Idaho, we committed to doing anything we could to help. I'm pleased to see we were able to break through a little red tape and help COSSA and Sage win this important grant."

COSSA is a cooperative effort of five rural school districts in Canyon and Owyhee Counties. Founded in 1969, the program offers special education, alternative high school education and professional-technical education. Staffers currently travel to locations in Homedale, Marsing, Notus, Parma and Wilder to provide skilled worker training, designed specifically to meet the needs of local businesses.

Although the districts pool their resources to offer the program, they have not had the resources to fund the program's ultimate crown jewel: a $5 million technology center. However, the EDA grant puts COSSA and its 115 staffers well on the way to achieving their goal.

“We are excited about the opportunities that this regional technology center will provide for both the secondary and adult students through agreements with the College of Western Idaho,” said Mark Cotner, Executive Director of COSSA. “The new facility will offer training programs in Automated Industrial Engineering, Health Information Technology, Industrial Welding, Health Professions, Construction Technology and academic programs.  Additional programs will be added as required to meet local businesses and industries needs”
 
“Our mission is to prepare southwest Idaho for growth and expand employment” said Pat L. Engel, Director of Business and Community Development at Sage.  “Employers need to fill existing and new jobs that change as quickly as technologies change.  This facility will allow COSSA to improve the competitiveness of our region by expanding their innovative approach to industry-specific training needs.”
 
Congressman Minnick and other invited dignitaries will have a formal presentation at the future school site in Wilder. The event will be Saturday, September 12 at 2 PM.