Smithfield-Selma High Hosts Topping Out Ceremony

SMITHFIELD - Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS) held a Topping Out Ceremony at Smithfield-Selma High on Tuesday, October 31, 2023.

The Topping Out Ceremony was a celebration of the nearly completed auxiliary gym at Smithfield-Selma High. The gym is the final project of the 2018 Bond Referendum.

In addition, the auxiliary gym will include a locker room, weight room, and restrooms for use by students, staff, and the public. Students and staff will have the additional space for educational purposes and extracurricular activities.

JCPS Superintendent Dr. Eric C. Bracy offered words of appreciation during the event and stated, “This new addition is very significant to our students and staff. It not only provides the needed space for academic and athletic advancement, but it also provides tangible evidence of community support, care, and interest in education that our students can actually see and touch.” 

Board of Education members were joined by many who partnered in the project, including county commissioners, school administrators, students, and the general public. “We are thankful for the many partners who have made this long awaited vision a reality,” concluded Bracy. 

After a brief presentation, attendees were given an opportunity to sign the 30 foot long steel beam that will be placed above the entrance of the completed gym. Previously, the Smithfield-Selma High Class of 2024 signed the beam, cementing their names in history, and immediately prior to the event staff members were able to sign the beam as well.

The auxiliary gym is scheduled to be completed by July, 2024.