BELL COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — The City of Nolanville is taking a significant step towards enhancing educational opportunities and technological advancements.
With the help of Killeen ISD and Texas A&M University, Nolanville's SMART museum welcomed 34 Ellison High students to learn more about the world of STEM.
Doing his part to help the community is Dr. Wei Lei, a Professor of Urban Planning at Texas A&M — Wei's background has him deeply committed to bringing new resources into underserved communities.
"I was born and raised in a small town of a few thousand people, just like Nolanville, and I’ve always been very passionate about using resources and technology for people most in need," Dr. Lei said.
"I have developed my commitment to using autonomous driving as a very promising technology to give transportation access to populations living in small, underserved communities."
Nolanville Mayor Andy Williams sees this initiative as a crucial step to help local children succeed in a constantly evolving world.
"This is a great opportunity that we’ve seen as a need here, as we’re moving to a more tech world, everything is technology — so we wanted to create it within our community and be the spearhead of something greater," Mayor Williams said.
During the tour of the museum, Ethan Carranza, a senior at Ellison High School, had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a self-driving car simulator and explore augmented reality via a Metaquest VR headset.
The hands-on experience is a testament to the museum’s goal of providing students with practical exposure to STEM fields.
Carranza expressed his gratitude for the opportunity.
"Autonomous driving will definitely be able to be tied into vehicles that are traveling tons, like thousands of light years," he said.
"I’m so glad that I’m in a school district that has opportunities like this to learn more about things that we’re interested in — I think it’s amazing to try and help communities that don’t have as many technologies as major cities."
The SMART Museum aims to bridge the gap between technology and education, providing students with the tools they need to thrive in a digital age.
With the combined efforts of Nolanville, Killeen ISD, and Texas A&M, the project promises to be a beacon of innovation and learning for not only students, but the entire Nolanville and Bell County community.
