South Sanpete School District awarded $13.1M grant for career education

MANTI—The South Sanpete School District has been awarded $13.14 million through the Utah APEX Grant Program to expand career and technical education and profession-based learning opportunities for students throughout the district.

The grant will help fund new programs and facilities designed to give students hands-on experience, connect them with local industries and prepare them for college, careers and the workforce.

A major part of the project will be the construction of two new profession-based learning facilities, one at Gunnison High School and another at Manti High School.

The district is currently working through the planning and design process and hopes to begin construction in February or March 2027.

The APEX grant application process was competitive. Twenty-five applications were submitted seeking more than $160 million in total funding.

South Sanpete officials said local partnerships were an important part of the district’s successful application. Businesses, health care providers, higher education institutions, community organizations and industry professionals have expressed support for the project.

Partners include ACT Aerospace, Jones & DeMille Engineering, Gunnison Valley Hospital, Revere Health, Intermountain Health, Snow College’s GRIT Center, iFour Media, CO Building, the Sanpete Chamber of Commerce, Bailey Farms, KMA Architecture, Redmond Salt, Gunnison Implement and Snow College.

The district said the facilities are intended to be more than traditional classroom spaces. Students will have opportunities to work with industry professionals, explore career options, develop technical skills and gain real-world experience.

The district also is seeking additional businesses and community organizations willing to participate through mentorship, expertise and hands-on learning opportunities.

“This is an incredible opportunity for our students and our communities,” Superintendent Ralph Squire said. “We are extremely grateful to receive this grant. The investment will allow us to build facilities and programs that give our students real-world experiences and prepare them for successful careers right here in our communities and throughout Utah.”

Squire also credited the district’s community and industry partners for their support during the application process.

“This is truly a community partnership, and we are excited about what we can accomplish together,” he said.