On Feb. 23, Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School District celebrated the opening of the Johnny V. Mata Service & Support Center and RISE Academy. The Mata Center and RISE are the first completed project included in the May 2021 Bond.
The facility is the new central location for the District’s maintenance, child nutrition, and technology departments. RISE Academy is the District’s alternative campus, formerly DAEP, and now stands for “Respectful, Impactful, Successful Eagles”.
This facility broke ground in September 2021 and is prompted to alleviate challenges within the district. The maintenance, child nutrition, and technology department previously used an old school building as means of storage. However, with the anticipated growth of the district, it was evident that a space large enough for these departments was necessary.
The new facility has two large warehouse spaces for Maintenance and Child Nutrition, a warehouse and workroom space for Technology, a test kitchen, a large walk-in freezer, a professional development space, and office spaces. Most importantly, the facility has a loading dock for 18-wheeler deliveries to keep large trucks out of residential neighborhoods surrounding the PBTISD campuses. Deliveries will now be made to the Mata Center, and distribution will directly be handled in-house via a refrigerated truck to campuses.
The RISE Academy wing includes three classrooms with restrooms, office space, a group workspace, an outdoor play area with a half-basketball court, a security vestibule, and a small drop-off loop. The district’s goal is to develop and grow the RISE Academy to raise Respectful, Impactful, Successful Eagles.
In December 2021, the PBTISD Board of Trustees voted to name the facility after Pecos native and PHS graduate Johnny V. Mata. Mata was a Chief Warrant Officer II in the 507th Maintenance Company when he lost his life in an ambush during the early days of the Iraq War in March 2003. Additionally, Mata grew up on the North side of Pecos, where the facility is located.