At Desmond Middle School, crews are putting the finishing touches on a new snack bar, storage building and restroom facility adjacent to the campus' new mini stadium.
"We have been working on this project for a little over a year now," said Rosalind Cox, Madera Unified's director of facilities planning and construction.
The improvements are not limited to one campus.
"So all three of our middle schools, Desmond Middle School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Martin Luther King Middle School, all will be receiving the same improvement," Cox said.
The new athletic complexes build upon upgrades that have already been completed, including renovated fields and tracks that are currently being used by physical education classes and student-athletes.
Desmond Middle School Athletic Director Nick Burns said the difference has been dramatic.
"Yeah, it's been absolutely amazing," Burns said. "I mean, we went from dirt track, small track. We had like six or seven lanes that we could put down. Now, we have nine lanes."
As part of the project, each stadium will feature expanded seating capacity, with 750 seats planned for the home side and 250 seats on the visitor side.
District officials say the facilities will serve more than just middle school sports.
"We're starting an elementary tackle football program in the spring this next year, and so we'll have elementary kids using these facilities," Burns said. "They'll practice here. They'll play games here."
In addition to athletics, the venues will also be available for expanded learning programs and school community events throughout the year.
Burns said the investment sends an important message to students.
"I think it shows the kids that Madera Unified values them and wants them to have the best," he said. "I think when you tell kids that and show them that, they rise to the occasion and really step up."
District officials expect the majority of the construction work to be completed by the end of the month.
Installation of the stadium seating is expected to wrap up by mid-October.
For news updates, follow Jessica Harrington on Facebook, X and Instagram.