Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Texas City ISD Completes New STEM, Robotics Center

  • By Matt Jones
  • 01/30/24

The Texas City Independent School District near Houston, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new STEM and Robotics Center geared towards students across grades K–12, according to a news release. The district partnered with Pfluger Architects and Bartlett Cocke for the project’s design and construction. It involved the conversion of a vacant storage building into a STEM lab for both educational and competitive use.

The building features an open arena to host robotics competitions, as well as a control room where students can manage video and audio. It also offers a fabrication lab for metal and woodworking, classrooms, and a maker space for elementary-school students.

“Working with Texas City ISD to bring the STEM Center to life has been a remarkable journey,” said Raleigh Sullivan, managing principal at the Houston office of Pfluger. “Their vision and leadership significantly contributed to this project's success. We're proud to have contributed to a space where so much learning and discovery will unfold.”

Local industry partner Marathon Petroleum Corporation donated $1 million to the project’s construction. Funding also came from a portion of a $158.6-million bond package passed in 2022. Marathon played an active role in shaping the building’s design and curriculum to encourage students to pursue careers in STEM.

“This state-of-the-art facility, the first achievement from the 2022 bond referendum, is the result of collaborative efforts, dedication and the unwavering support of our community,” said Dr. Melissa Duarte, TCISD Superintendent. “I want to thank the architects at Pfluger and the team at Bartlett-Cocke for bringing this dream to life. Together, we have created an environment that will not only satisfy the curiosity of our students, but will also serve as a catalyst for stimulating creativity and advancing critical thinking skills.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • AAADM Announces Building Safety Month Initiatives

    The American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM) recently announced its support of Building Safety Month as declared by the International Code Council (ICC), according to a news release.

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.

  • Hawaii Elementary School Breaks Ground on New Classroom Building

    Kealakehe Elementary School in Kailua, Hawaii, recently began construction on a new, $16-million classroom building for its campus, according to a news release. The 13,000-square-foot building will stand two stories and connect the existing upper and lower campuses.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.