Canton High School has always been ahead of its time - and thanks to its long-term partnership with Graham & Hyde's Canton Studio, that continues today.
Canton's rich history started with a schoolhouse in 1825, followed by a district charter received in 1869, a distinction not given to many at that time. In 1904, a three-story high school was built with 20 classrooms, a science lab, library, chorus room and gymnasium - a "state-of-the-art" facility for its time (and a portion of which is still used today to house the Superintendent's Office). A new high school, built in 1951- with a substantial addition in 1976, has continued to serve the community in this fashion.
However, Canton was recently in need of some updates from the 1950s. G&H worked with Canton School District to remodel a 1950s-era Home Economics classroom and pair of science rooms that had been untouched since the late 1970s.
The traditional home economics room was transformed into a state-of-the-art Culinary Arts Lab, allowing high school students to explore the tools, techniques and varied cuisine of the professional culinary arts. The new Culinary Arts Lab will benefit students for decades to come, promoting positive nutritional choices, valuable life skills involving cooking, and career preparedness for students interested in pursuing a career in the food industry.
That project, along with two Science Lab renovations, helped to round out the district's already outstanding vocational and STEM programs. In addition to the new labs, the vocational wing also houses a metal shop, an agriculture shop and greenhouse, a woods shop, and an automotive shop. These areas will also receive an update in the over the next few years.
Canton High School's mission is to "graduate students capable of making educated decisions, enabling them to become confident, self-sufficient, and productive citizens in an ever-changing global society." The district's partnership with G&H enables it to remain at the forefront of local education and live out its mission to its students every day.
Graham & Hyde's Canton Studio has been actively working with Canton School District since 1987, first starting with Phillips and Associates Architects, which was acquired by G&H in 2022. Since the 1980s, more than 350 projects have been successfully completed. These projects include a major high school addition and district wide renovations at 8 district buildings, including security entrances, administration renovations, drive and parking lot renovations, new HVAC systems, track & field renovations, shop renovations, kitchen renovations, and replacements of roofs, doors, windows and flooring. Other notable projects include the 10,600 square foot Canton High School multi-purpose and music room addition, upgraded HVAC systems for Lincoln Elementary School, and a 1,450 square foot Creation Lab for Ingersoll Middle School.