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Nelsonville-York Community Innovation Center Ceremonial Groundbreaking

Aug 25, 2026

Nelsonville-York City Schools is bringing its vision for a new Community Innovation Center to life with an $11 million lead investment from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation to support construction of the facility.

The Center will give students access to technology and hands-on STEM learning, open pathways to careers and the workforce, and expand access to dental and family resources, creating a hub for education, health, and workforce development.

The Foundation’s investment builds on a long-standing relationship with the Nelsonville community. Its roots there date to Doctors Hospital of Nelsonville, which the Foundation owned and operated from 1980 to 1998. Since then, its commitment to improving health and quality of life in Nelsonville and throughout southeastern Ohio has continued. Nelsonville-York City Schools’ vision for the Community Innovation Center reflects that shared commitment to creating opportunities for students and families and strengthening the community for the future.

The Osteopathic Heritage Foundation is proud to partner with Nelsonville-York City Schools to help bring that vision to life and looks forward to the lasting impact the Center will have on students, families, and the broader community.

Members of the Nelsonville-York City School District, the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, and the community came together Monday afternoon, Aug. 24, 2026, for a ceremonial groundbreaking for the school’s new Community Innovation Center.
Watch the Ceremonial Groundbreaking Video

Press Release

For Immediate Release: August 18, 2026

Nelsonville-York City School District to Build Community Innovation Center

NELSONVILLE, Ohio — Nelsonville-York City School District today announced plans to build a Community Innovation Center, a new hub that will bring hands-on STEM learning, dental care, workforce development, and community resources together under one roof.

“This is something big for our kids, our families, our communities, and our future,” said Micah Covert, president of the Nelsonville-York City Schools Board of Education. “The Community Innovation Center will help students stay healthy and engaged in school while expanding the opportunities available to them and their families.”

The district will formally announce the project and hold a ceremonial groundbreaking 4:30 p.m. Monday, August 24, at the future Community Innovation Center site. The ceremony will take place immediately before the district’s Back-to-School Open House.

Once complete, the Community Innovation Center will give students access to advanced STEM learning, career pathways, and opportunities to earn industry credentials while still in school. It will also house a new dental hygiene clinic, making it easier for students, families, and community members to receive care close to home.

The Center will also serve as a hub for workforce services and other community resources, extending its reach beyond the school day and creating new connections among education, health, and economic opportunity.

“When families have to navigate separate systems for health care, education, and other support, important needs can go unmet,” said Rick Edwards, superintendent of Nelsonville-York City Schools. “The Community Innovation Center will bring those resources together in one place where families already have a connection.”

The project is being made possible through a lead investment from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, which has a long-standing commitment to improving community health in central and southeastern Ohio. Guided by its osteopathic heritage and a whole-person approach to health, the Foundation invests in efforts that expand access to care, strengthen communities, and create the conditions people need to thrive.

“Nelsonville-York has a clear vision for connecting health, education, and workforce opportunity in a way that will strengthen the entire community,” said Terri Donlin Huesman, president and CEO of the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation. “We invested in that vision because we believe it can create lasting benefits for students, families, and the region, and we are proud to help bring it to life.”

Families and community members are invited to attend the ceremonial groundbreaking at 4:30 p.m. and the Back-to-School Open House from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The open house will include school tours, activities, refreshments, and opportunities to learn more about the Community Innovation Center.

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