Keith Middle School traces its roots to the West End's original Keith Junior High, which served New Bedford students for nearly half a century. By the mid-2000s, the aging building had reached the end of its run, and the city invested in a brand-new, state-of-the-art home for the school. The current $70 million facility opened its doors on December 11, 2006, just a block from the old building. The very next day, in a moment full of symbolism, the entire student body and staff walked together from the old junior high to their new school — carrying the Keith name, and its "Knowledge is Power" spirit, into a new era.