Thanks to money raised by lottery players across North Carolina, students in Havelock are getting a major upgrade to their middle school campus.

Craven County Schools recently broke ground on the site of the future Freedom Middle School, a project that will bring students at Tucker Creek Middle School and Havelock Middle School under one roof.

The cost of construction is primarily funded by a $15.3 million needs-based grant from N.C. Education Lottery proceeds.

“This project would not be possible without the generous support from the North Carolina Education Lottery,” shared Craven County Board of Education Chairman Lee Kirkman. “We are very grateful for the funding that has helped bring this vision to life.”

Last year, the lottery raised more than $1 billion for education programs in North Carolina for the third year in a row, more than half of which will be used toward school construction projects.

Craven County is among 62 North Carolina counties to receive a needs-based construction grant, totaling $2.4 billion in lottery funds. To date, lottery dollars have helped open more than 40 new or renovated schools from the needs-based public school capital fund alone — one of three ways the lottery supports school construction costs for every school district statewide.

In Craven County, that support takes visible shape in the form of expanded classrooms, improved infrastructure, and a campus designed to serve students for decades to come.

“We are not just breaking ground on a building but in fact we are breaking ground on our future, a future filled with growth and endless possibility for our children and community,” Craven County Schools Superintendent Dr. Matthew Cheeseman shared at the groundbreaking ceremony.

For details on how money raised by the lottery makes a difference for education programs in all 100 North Carolina counties, visit www.nclottery.com and click the "Impact" section.