$30 million high school in Montebello built with community's generosity

Montebello Unified School District officials are calling its new high school a true community endeavor.

The Applied Technology Center, which opened this month to its inaugural class, was not only built using $30 million in bond money, but now has a group of about 75 members in its Founder's Circle.

"It's a group of local individuals and businesses donating money, equipment and in-kind services to the school," said MUSD consultant Bill Whitmore.

The sums range from $1 to thousands to pay for programs benefitting students at the state-of-the-art campus.

"The ATC was generated, and is a reality because of the people who make up this giving school district community," MUSD Co-Superintendent Robert "Bo" Henke said.

The 33,000-student district encompasses all or parts of nine cities, including Montebello, Downey, Monterey Park, Rosemead and San Gabriel, as well as unincorporated county areas.

Voters passed the $98 million Measure M bond in 2004 and the $500 million Proposition 1D in 2006 to fund the ATC, and pay for improvements and expansion of careers-technical education programs, and physical improvements for all MUSD campuses, Whitmore said.

The ATC is home to five academies: engineering, construction trade, health and human services, law and other government services, and hospitality and leisure.

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