Paynesville High School to Build Safe Room [AUDIO]

PAYNESVILLE -- Paynesville High School will be one of two schools in Minnesota to receive federal grant money to build a safe room for students, staff and community members.

A multi-purpose facility will be built on school property, totaling 4,691 square feet. The structure will take a V shape, featuring two 60 foot wings.

Robert Huot is the superintendent of the Paynesville school district. He says the tragedy in Moore, Oklahoma shows the importance of the project.

The federal government will contribute $461,633 toward the project, with a 25 percent local match of $153,878. The money was secured by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

The efforts to secure a grant began in 2011 as a joint project with the Paynesville community.

Huot says the school is excited and thankful for the help from the federal government.

According to Huot, construction will likely begin this Summer with hopes of completion by the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year.

A second grant was awarded for a facility near Lake Traverse.

Nine kids were killed when a tornado ripped through Moore last week.