The Winnfield City Council meeting carried a hopeful note last week as Starla Triplett Jones of the Winn Pinecrest Collaborative shared her vision for breathing new life into the former Pinecrest High School campus, which has sat empty and vandalized for more than 30 years. The organization envisions transforming the property into a neighborhood center that could offer services and programs for residents of all ages.

To make it happen, the group aims to raise $250,000 over the next three to five years while pursuing historical preservation status, which could open the door for additional funding through grants such as the Rosenwald Fund. Jones said interest is already coming in from former students across the country who want to help bring back a piece of their hometown’s history. “This project can restore community pride while preserving an important piece of Winnfield history,” she stated.

Council members agreed to sit down and look further into the legalities and necessary steps the collaborative must take to gain possession of the property, inviting Jones and the other members to join in determining the next steps.