The Sturgeon City Environmental Education Center in Jacksonville is continuing to expand its reach with the launch of its new STEAM on the Go bus that will bring Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math programs to more children in Onslow County and across the region.
Lisa Murabito, executive director of the Sturgeon City Environmental Education Center, said that local schools and community organizations are facing mounting transportation challenges and budget constraints, making traditional off-site field trips more difficult to plan.
The STEAM on the Go bus, sponsored and funded by Jaggers of Jacksonville, gets rid of that barrier by taking Sturgeon City’s hands-on curriculum directly to the classroom.
“Transportation issues shouldn’t stand in the way of a child’s access to world-class environmental and STEAM education,” Murabito said. “Thanks to the incredible community investment from Jaggers of Jacksonville, we can now pack up our operation and drive it right to a school’s front door.
“We are eliminating the transportation hurdle entirely.”
Sturgeon City serves more than 20,000 visitors each year, providing community engagement and educational outreach. The center’s mission is to champion learning experiences that shape the future by nurturing the next generation of leaders and stewards of both the environment and the sciences.
While the STEAM on the Go bus will not carry passengers or function as an indoor mobile classroom, it serves as a logistical powerhouse, Murabito said.
The custom-wrapped vehicle, which was purchased from the Onslow United Transit System, is designed to transport Sturgeon City’s field trip materials, such as specialized activity gear, presentation tents, tables and chairs.
“We were taking two to three personal vehicles with our stuff every single time we went to a community outreach or we took our field trip on the road,” Murabito said. “So, this allows us to pack all of this stuff and considerably more in one vehicle, transport all the staff in one vehicle and go to the schools directly or go to the community outreaches directly.”
One program they’re excited to bring to more students is the mobile planetarium, which is too large to be transported in most regular vehicles, Murabito said.
She said they go to teacher professional developments often and are constantly having educators ask how they can get their students involved with Sturgeon City.
The bus will also be taken beyond Onslow County, as Murabito said they have served and will continue to serve schools and groups throughout eastern North Carolina.
“The fact that we’re already at 20,000, and we’re hoping to expand into phase two in the future, this is a really great opportunity to grow us without adding square footage to the building until we can do that,” Murabito said.
To celebrate the launch of the STEAM on the Go bus, a kickoff event took place in the parking lot of Jaggers on Friday. Visitors of all ages were invited to enjoy interactive science activities and participate in a stomp rocket blast off.
Making the occasion even more historic, the bus reveal took place exactly seven years to the day of the grand opening of the Sturgeon City Environmental Education Center building, located at 50 Court St. in Jacksonville.
Michael White, president and owner of the Jaggers franchise in North Carolina, said he had a big smile on his face when the bus pulled into the parking lot of Jaggers on Friday.
“We’re huge fans of their program and how they give back to the community,” he said. “That is part of our vision, as well, is culture, consistency and community. So, this is a way for us to give back to the community, and also to make sure they stay fed and stay on the road.”
Jaggers has committed to funding the STEAM on the Go bus for at least three years.