SALINEVILLE – The Utica Shale Academy is adding more protection after receiving grant funding for new safety equipment.

Superintendent Bill Watson said the community school received a $29,490 School Safety and Security Grant (SSSG) from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to add cameras and other gear at the new interior welding lab and heavy equipment area located at 83 E. Main St. in Salineville. Construction is still underway on the facility and will feature 27 welding bays, a classroom and space for heavy equipment. Watson said the total cost for the upgrade was $39,320 and USA made a $9,830 contribution, while the funding will help provide some extra safety on the property.

“We are acquiring 12 cameras and recording equipment that will be installed both inside and outside,” he said. “It will have the ability to capture both areas.”

Officials applied around September and the allotment defrays costs for the cameras, installation, training, and integration as well as controlled badge access to the building.

“We will know exactly who is on the premises,” Watson continued. “We hope to have it installed soon.”

The Utica Shale Academy includes more than 170 students in grades 7-12 and its campus is comprised of the Hutson Building, the Energy Training Center, the Williams Collaboration Center and the exterior and new interior welding sites along East Main Street, as well as the Utica Shale Academy Community Center that is housed on Church Street. The community school is a dropout recovery and retention facility that focuses on career-tech education for at-risk pupils and provides certifications to enter the workforce.

For information about USA, call 330-679-2000 or go online to uticashaleschool.com.