Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) celebrated the opening of the new athletic complex at Communication & Media Arts High School (CMA) today, marking the first completed phase of the school’s campus transformation and a milestone for the District’s Facility Master Plan (FMP). The ribbon-cutting celebration brought together students, student-athletes, families, alumni, District leaders and community partners to celebrate the creation of a new facility that will provide the CMA Pharaohs with a world-class venue to compete in, and to be proud of for generations to come.
The theme of the celebration was “Purple Rain Day,” with students and staff dressed head to toe in CMA’s purple and black, with invited guests also displaying the school’s colors. Students filled the newly constructed bleachers for the ceremony, and the moment the ribbon was cut, the field erupted in a school-wide purple-and-black pom-pom celebration. This is the second major Facility Master Plan milestone celebrated by the District this year, following the ribbon cutting at Southeastern Highschool CTE Annex, as DPSCD continues to deliver on its promise to rebuild schools brick by brick.
“The CMA ribbon cutting is about giving our students what they deserve. Our work as a board and superintendent team is to give students the resources to be successful. Dr. Vitti said, “I hope this investment inspires the CMA students to come back to the city and to the neighborhood that they are from, and create more opportunities for the next generation.”
“To stand up in front of parents and students years ago and make this commitment and deliver it, is all about how you build better trust in DPSCD, the district, and our work moving forward.” Dr. Nikolai Vitti, Superintendent, DPSCD
The new athletic complex features an eight-lane track and field built to national competition standards, a turf field for football, soccer and lacrosse, modern bleachers seating more than 1,100 fans, a press box, stadium lighting, dedicated field event areas and a new scoreboard. The complex was designed to provide CMA with the ability to host regional track competitions and larger athletic events, bringing the game-day experience home to CMA students and the surrounding community.
“The opening of CMA’s new track and field is more than an opportunity for athletic competitions; it’s a testament to the voice of our students, the works of the district, staff, and community coming together to bring this dream to reality, said Principal Cox of Communication & Media Arts High School. “My excitement does not rest here; it extends to the anticipation of CMA’s new state-of-the-art athletic complex, coming in Fall 2027.
To learn more about DPSCD’s Facility Master Plan, visit www.detroitk12.org/aboutdpscd/initiatives/fmp.