Chalis Henderson gives credit where credit is due. And Henderson credits her father for coming up with an idea that is finally coming to fruition – the Creating Success Mobile Learning Lab.
What used to be a mode of transportation to take students to and from school now brings the school to the students – it’s a former bus.
The public is invited to come check it out on Saturday, May 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oasis of Hope Ministries, 2495 US 158 bypass in Henderson. There will be a deejay playing music, as well as food and lawn games for the whole family to enjoy.
Henderson was Tuesday’s guest on Town Talk and told host Trey Snide how the idea for a mobile learning lab came about. She is the executive director of Turning Point Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit whose mission is to be a catalyst for development and empowerment of residents in Vance, Warren, Granville and Franklin counties.
She and her father were talking a few years ago about how they could expand the building where the church was holding its education program. Henderson said she thought of maybe hauling in a shipping container to the church, but then her father said, “Why don’t you use a bus?” That’s when the idea of a classroom on wheels began, she said.
Warren County government gave them the money to buy the bus, and over the past couple of years, that bus has been transformed.
“We want everyone to come out and witness the lab firsthand,” Henderson said. The computers are in place, and there will be a slideshow that will “paint the story of the development of the learning lab,” she said.
They ripped out the bench seats and created a flexible-space classroom equipped with laptops – a comfortable space for children and adults, Henderson said. “It’s been such a rewarding process to see it develop,” she said. “We know it’s going to be a great resource for the community.” Whether it’s children learning something new about technology, or having a session for grownups, Henderson said she anticipates that anyone who participates will leave feeling smarter and more empowered.
Turning Point CDC works to bring resources to rural communities and to bridge the gap that exists between those resources and the people who may need them.
Visit www.turningpointcdc.org to learn more.
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