Charles Harris, a graduate from the Class of ‘63 at George Washington Carver High School in Columbus, never thought the school on the hill would look like it did Saturday.

“It is outstanding. It looks real good,” Harris said. “I didn’t think we would have anything like this, not on this hill.”

Harris was among the hundreds of alumni, educators, elected officials and visitors gathered in the school gymnasium to dedicate the 225,000 square-foot building.

The event at 3100 Eighth St. gave Muscogee County School Board members and others a chance to thank the community  for approving a 2009 Local Option Sales Tax for the $37 million school. They also highlighted opportunities the school opens for students.

U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop said the nation put a man on the moon and invented the Internet in the last century but now all the scientists are coming from China and India. “The future of the country rests in the hands of our young people,” he said.