Lebanon, Missouri — October 30, 2025 — The City of Lebanon, in partnership with state and local leaders, celebrated the grand opening of the Lebanon Medical Simulation Lab Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Governor Mike Kehoe, state representatives, and community partners.

The state-of-the-art training lab, located inside the Robert W. Plaster Center for Student Success, represents a nearly $1 million investment by the City of Lebanon and marks a major milestone in implementing Lebanon Project 2040, the City’s comprehensive plan for growth and community development.

“Seeing it go from a blank space and a vision to what we see today has been transformative,” said Mayor Jared Carr. “We’re not just cutting a ribbon — we’re opening a door to opportunity for our students, a stronger workforce for our providers and first responders, and a healthier, safer community for everyone.”

Governor Kehoe toured the 3,500-square-foot facility with Mayor Carr, Lebanon R-3 Superintendent Dr. David Schmitz, Ozarks Technical Community College Chancellor Dr. Hal Higdon, and other officials. He praised Lebanon’s leadership and its model of collaboration.

“Very rarely do you see a city come together with its school district and technical college like Lebanon has,” Governor Kehoe said. “This is the physical brick and mortar of what a workforce development model should look like — and the City’s $1 million investment is absolutely remarkable.”

A Vision Realized Through Collaboration

The project grew out of Lebanon Project 2040, which identified a shortage of healthcare providers and skilled workers in the community. Rather than waiting for outside solutions, the City partnered with Lebanon R-3 School District, Ozarks Technical Community College, and healthcare providers including Mercy, CoxHealth, Lake Regional Health System, and Jordan Valley Community Health Center to create a regional hub for hands-on medical and emergency response training.

“This facility gives us the capacity to help rural fire departments, emergency managers, and hospitals,” Dr. Higdon said. “It will keep people close to home, get them trained, and make them productive members of their communities.”

The City of Lebanon served as general contractor, with True Construction as the primary consultant. The facility features four realistic medical simulation rooms equipped with life-like mannequins that replicate human responses for advanced practice scenarios.

Building Future Talent: Healthcare School of Discovery

The Robert W. Plaster Center for Student Success, owned by the Lebanon R-3 School District, is home to multiple Schools of Discovery — including the Healthcare School of Discovery, which utilizes the new simulation lab for hands-on training.

The lab will serve hundreds of students each year, allowing them to explore careers in healthcare while gaining early experience with medical technology and patient care. It will also support continuing education for healthcare professionals throughout the region.

“We have a rich history in Lebanon of shared resources for the betterment of our community,” said Dr. David Schmitz, Lebanon R-3 superintendent. “There’s no better example than this facility. The community is the classroom — and when the community is the classroom, students thrive through authentic, real-world learning opportunities.”

Dr. Schmitz said the project reflects how collaboration can solve multiple challenges at once.

“We must fish upstream — investing in our young people early — so they grow into the skilled professionals our region needs,” he said.

Regional and Emergency Response Training

Before the lab’s opening, healthcare professionals seeking continuing education often had to travel to Springfield, where facilities are booked to capacity. Lebanon’s new simulation lab now offers a closer, high-quality option for students, nurses, EMTs, and healthcare professionals across southwest Missouri.

The facility will also serve as a training site for first responders, including Lebanon’s police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and EMS crews. It will be available to emergency personnel across the region for advanced simulation training.

“First responders used to travel long distances for this level of training,” Governor Kehoe said. “Now, it’s right in their own backyard.”

Mayor Carr added, “This center strengthens the entire network of care and safety that protects Lebanon every day.”

Train Here. Stay Here. Care Here.

Mayor Carr summarized the City’s vision for the facility with a simple message: “Train here. Stay here. Care here.”

“It took the vision of former City Administrator Mike Schumacher, the support of our Lebanon City Council, and the dedication of many City staff working alongside our partners to make this possible,” Carr said. “This project shows what happens when a community dreams big — and delivers.”