FAIRBURY, NE — Another round of renovations and additions to Fairbury Junior-Senior High School is complete.

Thursday night, the school held an open house showing off its new shop rooms and weight room.

Fairbury’s Industrial Tech Teacher Shane Haley is in his second year at the school. He calls the changes to the welding, auto and wood shop rooms dramatic.

"It's a night and day difference," he said. "Coming from a shop that was dark and dingy, very smell and then now having the open space, new cupboards, new cabinets, it's a complete change."

With a combination of renovation and new construction, all three shops are much bigger than they were previously. They also have brand new tools to teach kids practical skills they can use throughout their life.

"The price of hiring anybody to do anything to fix your house is ridiculous," Haley said. "The skills the kids are learning here are either going to use it on their own house and save a whole lot of money or they'll go out into the industry and make a whole lot of money."

The school’s weight room getting new equipment as well to go along with a new floor and paint job. 7-12 P.E., Health and Weights Teacher Colby Hamel says they won’t take it for granted.

"It's just a blessing to have the equipment we do," he said. "I don't think the kids quite understand yet how blessed they have been to be here and to get to use this equipment."

The equipment so new, some kids were hesitant to use it. Others jumped at the opportunity.

"It was like, 'Oh man. I shouldn't touch this,' or the fear of breaking or something, but I also think it's sparked some kids and their interest to be here," Hamel said. "Working out has definitely increased just in this last week."

Much of the project made possible thanks to donations and grants from the community. Haley and Hamel both grateful for the support.

"We've had a lot of donors and people spending a lot of time working in this weight room," Hamel said. "Just the support this community brings to Fairbury is tremendous."

"I've only been here two years now and I know the heart of Fairbury is all about helping the kids, helping their teachers do the best they can for the school," Haley said.