Old Herod High in Abbeville to get major face life

The old Herod High School has turned into an eyesore for Abbeville. An Abbeville preacher wants to change that, and he sold his house in Eunice and is using the money to begin the process of making Herod better.
B.K. Stephens has been the reverend of Faith Hope Church in Abbeville for the last 17 years. Overtime he has seen the children of Abbeville have less and less to do that did not involve sports. He has also noticed how crime in Abbeville has risen because of drugs.
While most people talk about what should be done to stop the violence, Rev. Stephens is tired of talk. He is taking action by purchasing part of the old Herod High School on Martin Luther King Drive.
Stephens, with the help of former Abbeville residents Walter August and Eric Davenport, have created “Vision Of Hope Community Development, Inc.”
Vision of Hope is in the process of purchasing the west wing (18 classrooms and cafeteria) of the old Herod High School from the Police Jury for an appraised value of $60,000.
Once the sale is complete, Stephens is ready to hit the ground running and begin turning the 58-year old building into a state of the art facility that could be worth $2.5 million when everything is done.
Once the facility is complete, the classrooms will be turned into learning centers, computer labs, and job training facilities. It will also create jobs.
On Thursday, Stephens held a meeting in the school with residents who live in the neighborhood. About 30 people showed up, and Stephens explained his plan to them. He also asked for their help, financially and physically.
Rev. Stephens told the residents why he was willing to spend his money and time to bring back new life into Herod High, which closed as a high school in 1969 because of consolidation. The school was reopened in the 1970s and 1980s and used as a middle and elementary school.
“Someone might ask, why are you doing this?” said Rev. Stephens. “We are trying to renovate this building because our children have nothing to look forward to. If you do not have anything to do or look forward to, then you will find something. We need something in this community.”
He also knows how important the old Herod High School is to the neighborhood because of its history. Rev. Stephens said he wanted to keep the history alive by keeping the building alive.
Rev. Stephens and a handful of volunteers are already working to clean up the school. They removed tile from the floor.
Rev. Stephens has created short term and long term plans for the school. In the first phase, they will work on getting a security system for the building, along with three commercial AC units and cleaning the landscape around the school. Also in the works are redoing the floors, electrical, plumbing, windows and lots of painting.
“Everything we are doing, we are doing for the community,” he said. “I am asking for the community’s help. By helping out the young people of Abbeville, we are also helping out the adults in Abbeville.”
Rev. Stephens expects 50 volunteers from Pastor August’s church in Houston to arrive July 24 and begin landscaping the grounds.
One adult who was in the crowd is Pastor Michael Wright. Wright said he attended Herod High until the 10th grade and then went to Abbeville High in 1969 for consolidation.
“I want to be part of his vision,” said Rev. Wright. “This is vital, very important to not just the neighborhood but all of Abbeville.”