Hartley Peavey has given a 125,000-square-foot facility in Decatur to the Newton County School District.
“My public education in Mississippi opened opportunities for me to explore my interest in electronics and woodworking,” said Peavey, founder and CEO of Peavey Electronics Corporation. “Those skills were crucial for building the amplifiers and sound systems that put my company on the map 52 years ago and led to creating thousands of jobs right here in Mississippi.”
Peavey presented the facility and 38 acres of land with lighted parking, valued at over $3 million, to the Newton County School District at the property, located directly adjacent to Newton County High School. The company worked with state and local officials lead by Senator Terry Burton of Newton to complete the donation. The facility will be called the Peavey Annex.
“I am grateful to the Peaveys for being willing to make this generous donation,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Terry C. Burton. “I’ve spoken with Hartley and Mary about this effort for a while now and appreciate their decision. Mississippi is a better place because of generous corporate citizens like the Peaveys, and the students of Newton County schools will benefit for many years in the future.”
“Successful school districts depend on strong support from their local communities,” added Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. “Peavey Electronics’ donation to the Newton County School District speaks volumes about the company’s commitment to public education and its commitment to the children in the district. This donation is an investment in Newton County and the future of its students.”
“Innovation happens when students have the tools to pursue and achieve their dreams,” said Peavey. “The highest purpose of education in our society is to provide a vehicle for these young minds to discover their own talents, and to gain the skills needed to realize their potential. This facility will be an asset to Newton County schools and students for many years to come.”
“I would love to see a renewed investment in arts education as a result of this donation,” said Mary Peavey, president of Peavey Electronics Corporation, who has served on the Mississippi Arts Commission and the board of directors of the National Afterschool Alliance in Washington, D.C., an initiative focused on the importance of afterschool programs for students throughout the U.S. “Music, literature and visual arts are the cornerstones of our state’s creative economy, which spans from the earliest blues musicians and writers through the hitmakers and visionaries of today. Arts inspire the innovation our state needs to compete in the global economy and ensure Mississippi thrives for the next generations.”
