The facility at the Texas Tech Center at Junction will bring lessons taught in the classrooms to life through hands-on, on-site experiences.
With an aim toward integrating its research, teaching and engagement prowess with communities across the state, Texas Tech University on Wednesday (Oct. 28) cut the ribbon on the new Llano River Conservation Center in Junction, beginning a new chapter in educational impact.
Officials from Texas Tech, the state and the center were on hand for the ceremony dedicating the revamped engagement site. The site has held year-round academic programs since 2000.
Located at the Texas Tech Center at Junction and under the purview of Texas Tech’s Outreach & Engagement, the Llano River Conservation Center will serve as an engagement unit with the resources to supplement the work done by teachers in the classroom by bringing those lessons to life through hands-on, on-site experiences.
“The Center at Junction has long been an important part of Texas Tech’s commitment to serving communities beyond our main campus,” said Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec. “This facility builds on that history, and it reflects our responsibility as a public university to extend the benefits of our educational and research mission across the state.”
Recently, Marissa Cochran was named executive director of the Texas Tech Center at Junction while Kody Robinson was named director of the Outdoor Learning Lab. Together they are implementing a curriculum developed by Shandus White-Helms in Outreach & Engagement called “The Nature of Teaching,” the new R1-level educational and engagement programming. It is a joint effort between Texas Tech and Purdue University to increase student knowledge, appreciation and love of the outdoors through science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Their goal is to bring to life concepts taught in the classroom, and by doing so, help students in public schools score better on state-mandated testing. This curriculum is aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards.
“The new Llano River Conservation Center, coupled with the addition of Marissa and Kody, are strategic investments that will bring new opportunities, resources and engagement programming to the Texas Hill Country,” said Rod Williams, vice provost for Outreach & Engagement at Texas Tech. “We are thrilled to be a part of the continued growth and economic prosperity in Junction.”