MONETTA, S.C. (WJBF) —  Many changes are coming to Aiken County, South Carolina, including a new school.

Officials broke ground for the new Ridge Spring Monetta High School. “It’s a proud moment today real proud,” Paul Blacks told NewsChannel 6’s Shawn Cabbagestalk.

“It’s kinda like birthing – Like birthing a child. When the newness is coming  We’re excited especially for this small town here,” he added.

Paul Blacks knows a thing or two about Monetta, South Carolina. The pastor of the community has nine kids who go to school at Ridge Spring Monetta.

“And I’m here mostly every day,” he said. 

He and a few dozen others, including school and district leaders, were on hand for the groundbreaking for the new  Ridge Spring Monetta High School.

“Really it’s time for the technology and for our kids to catch up with the other communities,” Blacks added.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the middle and high schools will be split. The high school being built on an empty lot next to the existing school.

“I been on the ridge since K-4 and it’s finally happening,” Jason Rodgers said. 

Rodgers is student body president. He says the new school will provide a major boost in morale.

“Hopefully that we won’t be out here forgotten anymore. “

I spoke with many who said they have been waiting decades for to this to take shape.

“I’ve been an agriculture teacher for 20 years and when I got here, we were 30 to 40 years overdue for this,” agriculture teacher Michael Crim said. 

“I’m a proud graduate of Ridge Spring Monetta High School back in 1970.  So I’ve seen changes that the schools have gone through but at the same time this day makes one of the best changes we have ever had since the early 50’s,” Leonard Bell said. 

The price tag for the project is 39.6 million to complete. 

Giving students of the small town like Paul Blacks children a chance to compete. “We just thank god for all of this. We’ve been looking for this for the longest,” Blacks added.

Officials plan for the project to be completed by Thanksgiving 2019. They hope to open the doors to students in January 2020.