Lubbock ISD and Reliant on Wednesday unveiled the district’s new “Innovation Station,” a mobile classroom built by students in a converted school bus that will serve as a unique and flexible learning space for students outside of the traditional school building.
“We are thrilled to unveil this Innovation Station, a groundbreaking mobile classroom for learning and community engagement that will become a permanent fixture in Lubbock ISD,” Superintendent Kathy Rollo said at a press conference. “This bus is more than just a mobile classroom. It is a learning center that provides a safe and engaging space for our students to learn, discover and grow both during the school year and in the summer.”
The Innovation Station has power and Wi-Fi, Chromebooks, a makerspace and reading areas. Rollo said the bus will be used for a variety of innovative learning opportunities.
“It’s not a traditional classroom, but a place where kids can continue to learn and grow,” Rollo said. “We can take it to parks. We can take it to our campuses after school and during the summer when some kids aren’t necessarily learning.”
The Innovation Station was funded by Reliant, whose armadillo mascot is featured prominently on the side of the bus. Anna Delano, the utility’s Lubbock regional manager, said the company is proud to partner with the school district on the project.
Related: Lubbock ISD increases health insurance premiums for employees
“We look forward to seeing how Innovation Station is used throughout the Lubbock community, and we are excited about all the other future opportunities we have with Lubbock ISD,” Delano said. “That’s what Reliant is all about.”
Not only will the Innovation Station benefit future students, but it was also a hands-on learning opportunity for the students who built it. The school bus that became the Innovation Station was converted by students at OL Slaton Middle School taking industrial courses.
“They were actually the ones who came in after school and decked out the inside of the bus,” Rollo said. “All of the tables and workstations you see there are cabinets and spaces built by our own students, so they also had a great opportunity to learn while they were putting all of this together.”
Aaron Curry, a freshman at Monterey High School who worked on the project last year when he was an eighth-grader at OL Slaton, said it feels good to help students who come after him.
“I’m proud of it,” Curry said. “With all the kids that will be there and learning, it will be a beautiful thing to look back on.”
