Magnolia High School in Anaheim hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 5, 2024, in partnership with Erickson-Hall Construction Co., to celebrate the completion of the new Center of Excellence classroom building, the nation’s first K-12 educational facility dedicated to a cybersecurity curriculum.

“We are excited to unveil the Center of Excellence, the home to our new cybersecurity curriculum. This project is more than just a new building; we are creating an environment that truly nurtures advanced and specialized learning,” said Anaheim Union High School District Superintendent Michael Matsuda. “The excitement about this space is shared throughout our community. Our partnership with Erickson-Hall Construction Co. has been instrumental in bringing this vision to life. Their expertise helped us create a space that empowers our entire educational community – from administrators and educators to our talented students.”

Anaheim Union High School District enlisted Erickson-Hall to construct the two-story, 22,161 square-foot building featuring state-of-the-art cybersecurity labs, a project-based learning center, classrooms and administrative space. In addition to the new building, Erickson-Hall signed on to build a 8,020 square-foot covered outdoor walkway, a covered loggia, a vehicular turnaround with accessible parking and other campus improvements. Construction was completed in July 2024.

“We are thrilled and proud to be part of this trailblazing project. Supporting Magnolia High School and their students in creating high-quality, cutting-edge facilities is an honor,” added Mat Gates, President of Erickson-Hall Construction Co. “The innovative cybersecurity curriculum demands an equally advanced space to set students up for success. By building the Center of Excellence, we’re helping to shape a modernized, multifunctional campus where students can engage in high-level and hands-on learning.”

As the first educational center designed with the primary focus of cybersecurity instruction for high schoolers, the students using the new equipment will continue to contribute to a new generation of technologically skilled leaders protecting digital information and securing safe technological operations.

As part of the project scope, Erickson-Hall also renovated Building M with two new restrooms, a seismic retrofit, a new fire alarm system, and a high-density storage system. Across the campus, Erickson-Hall installed new rooftop HVAC units, renovated two classroom spaces, built a new courtyard with a presentation wall, and added a kiln enclosure and new landscaping. Additionally, Erickson-Hall renovated the campus pool facility with a new concrete pool deck, equipment, bleachers and benches, a shade canopy, a storage area, restrooms, and a gate.