Most school buses take students to class, but this school bus brings the class to them. Stephen Hilliard’s construction classes have taken on the hefty task of renovating an old school bus into a mobile learning center for children.

Constructed entirely by students in Hillard’s classes, the mobile learning center targets elementary and middle school students. The goal is to create a unique and exciting interactive learning experience for students to pursue a love for reading.

“This bus will be wrapped on the inside and out. The bus opens the door for multiple opportunities. Some kids that are missing out on opportunities, like disabled children, will be able to learn on there because of the wheelchair lift,” Hilliard said. “Whenever the bus goes on different functions, it will also be able to serve as a book fair. It’s something that everyone will be able to enjoy at a young age. It’s a pretty cool environment.”

The students have been working on the bus since the end of last school year. They had to take out all the seats and build everything inside from scratch. Along each side of the bus, bookshelves are placed where the seats once were. In the front, there is makerspace where students can build with Legos.

“It was definitely difficult, but I enjoyed doing it,” Kayne Richardson (11) said. The key is to not rush, and you will get it done eventually. The vinyl floor was the most difficult part of the bus, because all the pieces wouldn’t fit together right due to the uneven spots.”

Throughout the project, Hilliard guided students every step of the way, teaching them how to use tools, and think critically when fixing construction challenges. This opportunity has given students valuable skills that they will carry on for the rest of their lives.

“Mr. Hillard is more of like a father to me,” Tristan Novak (12) said. “Hilliard kind of stepped in the role of filling in how to work on stuff. He taught me how to work the tools, how to do hands-on demos and all that. I have learned a lot from him.”

After months of work, the construction classes’ hard work has paid off. The bus will be touring and visiting elementary and middle schools to bring learning to children. The students and Hilliard are very excited to show their bus off, and enhance the learning space for young learners.