After two years of work on the mobile education center, Klein ISD and the KISD Education Foundation unveiled the STEAM Express Oct. 29. The custom-built RV trailer will serve as a mobile classroom to provide students opportunities in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

"The ultimate goal of STEM education is to encourage students to take an interest in STEM subjects at an early age," said Judy Rimato, associate superintendent of communication and planning for KISD. "In Klein ISD, we added the arts because we believe in their importance, and research indicates that students involved in fine arts are better prepared for college, more well rounded, highly involved and strong academic achievers. "

The mobile classroom features displays from architecture, geology, engineering, robotics, health, meteorology and space exploration. The trailer itself is 48-feet long, has 40 feet of classroom space and weighs 16,960 pounds empty without the nearly 4,000 pounds of added equipment.

STEAM Express might become a model for other districts to emulate, according to KISD officials.

"[Program Coordinator] Bill [Nebeker] says that the trailer will pay one or two visits this school year to our Pre-K center, so all 49,4000 students in Klein ISD will actually be touched by this trailer this school year.," KEF Director Cindy Doyle said.

Rimato said Doyle was instrumental in bringing the dream of the STEAM Express to fruition. Two years ago, Doyle took on the added responsibility of hosting the Diamonds and Denim Jubilee, which was the district's culminating event for their 75^th anniversary celebration.

The event raised $96,000 to help fund the creation of the STEAM Express. The project was based upon the success of the Reading Express, the district's mobile book program for which the KEF provided initial funding through a grant in 2010.

"We know how important all of those subjects are for the students of Klein ISD. Every day in our schools those subjects are being addressed. The STEAM Express will enrich that study," KISD Superintendent Jim Cain said. "I want to thank the community members for supporting the Klein ISD Education Foundation. When you have the kind of support that we have in this community for public education, it just makes such as big difference. You can do wonderful things."

The KEF has received more than $250,0000 in donations to outfit the mobile classroom to enhance learning throughout KISD, according to the district, in addition to the $1.5 million raised by the foundation since 2000.

Doyle praised the efforts of Nebeker and his team of educators for developing curriculum in both English and Spanish for the program. Nebeker said one of the most significant challenges he and his team encountered was finding ways to take the curriculum for grades K–12 prescribed by the state of Texas and applying it to all grade levels.