MADISON COUNTY, Ala. — The Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering stayed true to its name and held a virtual groundbreaking Wednesday.

Those who wanted to watch checked in online and were able to ask questions via virtual submission.

One of the first to speak was board of trustees member state Sen. Arthur Orr.

“We have this momentous day here in the history of Huntsville, Madison County and the state of Alabama and again, our nation,” Orr said.

Orr said that when pitched to Gov. Kay Ivey, she immediately knew the importance of the school and what it would do for the the state of Alabama.

“We must provide our state’s children with meaningful opportunities to purse careers in STEM fields to ensure a prosperous Alabama of tomorrow,” Ivey said.

The Huntsville area is booming in technological advancements and it’s those booming companies in Northern Alabama that are making a school like this even possible.

“I’m proud to have such a strong and capable partner in Raytheon to join me in doing just that, ” Ivey said.

The topic was clear that the new magnet school would be giving kids a one of a kind opportunity that would ensure them jobs in the future. Matt Massey, president of the school, spoke about not only those experience but the one of a kid curriculum these students would be receiving.

“Our students will experience cyber and engineering internships, co-op opportunities and field experience with industry and governmental opportunities on the local, state and national levels,” he said.

The school had its first set of students start Aug. 17, with a class size of 72. The magnet school is available to all students across the 137 Alabama school districts and by 2024 is projected to have over 350 students in attendance.

The facility is set to be finished in August of 2022, but for now the students will remain at their temporary campus at Oakwood University.