About this project
Why a mobile classroom? Some of you may ask, "What's wrong with the classrooms that we have?" The answer is nothing. Teachers across the nation are doing phenomenal things, unfortunately, they are doing them with limited support and resources. Budgets for schools and classrooms have disappeared. If a teacher has a creative or innovative idea (hmmm....sound familiar?) for education beyond the classroom, he or she is unable to pursue extracurricular field trips due to funding restraints. So why not bring the field trip to them?
Alternative: Project Eco ROVER - Tomorrow's Classroom
A repurposed motorcoach, really? Why not? Trust us, no one has experienced a classroom like this. The idea of taking something that has ran its last leg of hauling photo-snapping tourists, sports teams, or church groups back and forth from city to city can still serve a purpose on the planet. One of the foundational ideas behind the ROVER (Repurposed Outreach Vehicle for Education and Research) is to demonstrate the importance of maximizing the lifespan of items we consume. This can be a bus, a newspaper, or simply a lettuce salad. A lettuce salad? With the integrated modules aboard the ROVER, students will explore how many day to day items are connected in the environment and that just because we are done using them, that doesn't mean they still don't have a purpose. Using this mobile classroom to connect river systems with a vegetative roof, and a vermicomposting center, students will explore how many natural systems are able to recycle or reuse "things" that we as humans simply no longer have a use for, even a lettuce salad!
Why Kickstarter and what's the money for? Unfortunately, we cannot do this by ourselves. Our school systems sincerely need our help and through Kickstarter we can move one step closer to providing resources to classrooms that are eager to move forward. With the money raised through the Kickstarter event, Project Eco ROVER will be able to convert the 1985 MCI bus into Tomorrow's Classroom. For $30,000 we will be able to retrofit a portable river model that will get tucked away in the cargo bays for easy transport and setup at schools and events. This unique river model is designed locally by Little River Research and Design using color-coded, recycled plastic in place of sand, and will be detachable to function outdoors or move indoors to meet specific needs.
In addition, for $20,000 we will be able to install a reinforced vegetative roof on top of the bus, equipped with native plants, a vegetable garden, and a stormwater capture system that will recycle rain water into the river model below. A safe walking area will be installed to allow students to visit the roof and conduct experiments on the different plants. For an additional $20,000, a mobile vermicomposting center will be constructed inside the bus. This setup will use Red Wiggler worms to recycle food scraps and plant debris into natural fertilizer for the plants growing on the roof. The remaining $5,000 of the $85,000 goal will go towards converting the motorcoach engine to run on recycled vegetable and motor oil. Revealing, yet again, how products can be repurposed even though their original use has come to an end.
Upon completion of the overhaul, the ROVER will begin traveling to schools and communities. With the integrated approach of Tomorrow's Classroom, those who partake in ROVER activities will become engaged and inspired to see change in how we utilize our resources. This approach will empower future generations to be stewards of their resources and encourage them to build stronger relationships within their communities and schools. Not necessarily for change, but for moving society forward.
FAQ
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22
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$5,745
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Funding Unsuccessful
This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on December 28.
Pledge $1 or more Pledge $1 or more
Know that your support and encouragement in helping us build a populous of youth motivated toward creating a better future for our communities and planet is greatly appreciated. A huge thank you from Project Eco ROVER and our grandchildren.
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
For a pledge of this amount, you will receive an 8" x 10” commemorative print of the final ROVER design, printed using repurposed materials in an environmentally responsible manner.
Pledge $75 or more Pledge $75 or more
For pledges at this level, you will receive a commemorative print and a handmade dustpan constructed out of recycled license plates. Handcrafted by Project Eco ROVER, these recycled license plates will remind you of your gracious gift to education and keeping the planet clean, while at the same time helping tidy up your home.
Pledge $250 or more Pledge $250 or more
For your greatly appreciated pledge at this level you will receive everything above, plus a custom-designed counter-top trivet made of recycled glass. These trivets will come handmade with your choice from four different shapes (square, circle, triangle, or star) and three different color schemes (brown, green, or white).
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
At this level you will receive all items above, plus an 11" x 14" custom-framed print of the final ROVER product. This print will come matted and framed in repurposed barn wood from late 19th and early 20th century homesteads.
Pledge $2,500 or more Pledge $2,500 or more
With a pledge at this level you will receive everything listed for the previous rewards, as well as a sponsored Eco ROVER event in your name and an option for you to attend this event as the host.
Pledge $5,000 or more Pledge $5,000 or more
At this generous level you will be rewarded with all of the items listed above, including a sponsored event in your name and the option to attend as a guest host. In addition, you will force Andrew to get the "recycle" symbol tattooed on his body in remembrance of your gracious donation. A lasting impression of the support and dedication you made to education and healthier communities.
Project By
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I'm just a kid at heart, who fell in love with education about four years ago. Educated as a geologist in North Dakota and Illinois, I was blessed with teaching fellowships in Antarctica and Southern Illinois that revealed to me the importance of child-designed education and the human connection to the landscape. Project Eco ROVER became a passion of mine about a year ago and while working on my PhD in environmental studies, my goal is to engage students across the country to become social leaders aboard Tomorrow's Classroom.
