Grand Forks AFB prepares Eielson Elementary for demolition, advances Twining School project

GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Airmen from the 319th Reconnaissance Wing joined Grand Forks Public Schools volunteers to clean out the vacant Carl Ben Eielson School by removing trash, furniture and reusable materials, Nov. 4 and Nov. 5, 2024.

Over 60 volunteers assisted in the clean-up of the facility, originally built in 1980, which is scheduled for demolition to make way for the new Nathan F. Twining School to be built on the same land.

Grand Forks AFB's First Four Council and Company Grade Officers Council organized the logistics for the effort that saved an estimated $72,000 in labor costs.

"We're just here to, you know, support our community and help clear out the school so the demolition can start," said Senior Airman Seth Tucker, pavement and equipment apprentice for the 319th Civil Engineer Squadron. "We don't have trolleys so we're just using ingenuity and carrying stuff back and forth to get the job done."

The volunteers worked diligently over the course of two days to finish the clean-out and to ensure the salvageable furniture, equipment and school supplies were stored safely, reducing the risk of weather damage and allowing them to be used after the new school's construction is complete.

"It's all about giving back," said 2nd Lt. Cole Kirby, officer in charge of the 319th Contracting Squadron. "Some years in the future, there will be a new school here and all the stuff we're doing today has an impact that will last way beyond what we're doing right now. This will benefit a lot of families on base not just now but for years and years to come."

The Nathan F. Twining School project is intended to improve quality of life for military families and provide a premier learning environment for children enrolled in pre-kindergarten to 8th grade, on base. The school will be tailored to provide students a high-quality education through the principles of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics learning.

The collaborative efforts between Grand Forks Air Force Base Public School District 140, Grand Forks AFB, the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation's Public Schools on Military Installations program and additional stakeholders are anticipated to be seen with construction starting in the summer of 2025, and students placed in the new learning environment in Jan. of 2028.