By: NICOLAS FIERRO
Salina Post
A brand-new 14,000-square-foot Education Center, has started to break ground at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home in Abilene, Kansas.
On Friday, members of the Eisenhower Foundation, U.S. Kan. Senators Jerry Moran & Roger Marshall, Kan. Senator Scott (24th District) and many people from the community gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking event.
Chair of the Board of Dir. for the Eisenhower Foundation, Kyle Campbell said the decision to bring in this new education center was to introduce more resources to have a greater impact on education.
He said those resources include better access to technology, more flexibility in a classroom setting and improved production facilities, by providing online and virtual programs for students who cannot physically attend the center.
Campbell also touched on the partnership with the state and federal government.
"They have been tremendously helpful because there have been alot of agreements that needed to be negotiated in Washington, and it has been very helpful to have those advocates work on our behalf. "The state has also been a big partner in this funding equation and Senator Hill has been a key ally in this effort."
In this center, students will be taught Dwight D. Eisenhower's values in a way they will remember, experience a purpose-built space designed for collaboration, decision-making and how exploration was made by the 34th U.S. President.
Students will learn through immersive environments like the Oval Office Classroom, where they step into the role of decision-makers; the Command Center, modeled on real-world crisis rooms that build collaboration and problem-solving; and the Learning Lab, designed for hands-on STEAM exploration.
The center will also provide technology-ready rooms, a consistent home for school groups, and the capacity to welcome far more students for deeper, more meaningful learning experiences.
Marshall shared with the Salina Post why he supported this ongoing project.
"I think it's important that our children and grandchildren learn who he was. President Eisenhower was one of the greatest leaders of all time and one of his biggest qualities, was his humility."
He said those who attend this education center, will benefit from learning about how Eisenhower handled tough decisions during challenging times.
"It was a challenging time in the past as well, but it took leadership to step forward and make those decisions and great leaders making those decisions are strategic thinkers. These future leaders may very well come from the Midwest."
According to the Eisenhower Foundation, $15.7 million has already been committed toward the $17 million needed for this project.
Those who make a donation of over $25,000 will be recognized on the Education Center Donor Wall.
Click here to make a donation.
“From a Kansas farm boy to Commander of Allied Forces, my grandfather’s story shows that leadership rooted in humility and service can change the world," said Mary Jean Eisenhower. "The Eisenhower Education Center will bring that story to life — a place where students from across Kansas, the U.S., and the world will learn that the principles Ike lived by still matter today.”
Eisenhower said during a press conference in Washington D.C. on February 9, 1955 about how important education is.
"Education is really bread and butter citizenship. It is just necessary to the developing of citizens that can perform their duties properly."
Watch the video below to learn more about the Education Center: