Mount Edgecumbe High School is a public boarding school founded in 1947 which serves 400 students from over 100 communities across Alaska. State funding through the education bond package provided for design and construction of the aquatic center on the Mount Edgecumbe campus. Recreational opportunities complement a rigorous academic curriculum and improve the quality of life for young students who are away from their homes and families, and many of whom hail from small villages where pool access is not available. In addition, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in Alaska. Therefore, a swimming pool serving students from across Alaska provides the opportunity to educate future community leaders in this area. The pool will be used for swim classes, recreation swim, swim team practice, and training by the cross-country team, as well as for the Alaskan Trooper Academy and the US Coast Guard.