T

he Brin-Wojcicki Foundation has funded $85,000 for auxiliary furniture and equipment for the classrooms of the new Palo Alto High School Media Arts Center on the campus that will open this August. The announcement was made March 25.

The new 22,000 sq. ft. building will house 800 students in a state-of-the-art facility that costs over $10 million. The building was funded by Palo Alto voters in Measure A in 2008 and by a $2.7 million Career Technical Education grant from the State of California. The building, which will house the school’s photography, video production and multi-platform journalism classes, includes a broadcast journalism studio, conference rooms, a journalism library and a presentation atrium seating 150 to 200 people on three levels.

Construction of the building started in 2011 and was scheduled for completion in 2013, but delays  have pushed back the opening date to August of 2014.

The Media Arts Boosters headed by parents Carol Chalmers and Debbie Crouch have already raised over $101,000 to help support the buildings needs.

The group is still seeking other donations to support field trips, scholarships for summer camps and conventions, guest speakers honoraria, and a grand opening celebration.