Bright red tablets glow on the tables, magnetic blocks click together in students’ hands, and shelves lined with robotics kits and a brand-new 3D printer hum quietly in the corner. In this bright new classroom at Hirsch Elementary School in Spring ISD, imagination has a home — and opportunity has a door.

Funded by the Campos Foundation with a $160,517 investment and brought to life by SmartLab Learning, the new SmartLab gives Hirsch Hawks the chance to explore, build, and innovate, which is an opportunity that many students might not otherwise have until much later in their education. Since 2015, the Campos Foundation has served over 10,000 under-represented minority and female students every year through STEM education initiatives. As of today, the organization has 16 Campos SmartLabs across five states.

“The SmartLab helps me create what I’m thinking…it helps me be smarter because the steps are easy to follow, and it’s fun,” said fifth-grader Micah Williamson. “Before the fall break, we built a car and had to figure out how to make it go down a ramp and keep moving. I am very excited to work in the lab and continue to learn.”

With STEM careers continuing to grow across Texas and the nation, Hirsch’s new space creates more opportunities for students to explore technology, engineering, and innovation firsthand.

“Historically, minorities and women are underrepresented in STEM fields,” said Hirsch principal LaToya Patterson. “Giving our students—boys and girls alike—this opportunity at such a young age helps them dream bigger. It opens doors to futures they may not have even known existed.”

The morning’s check handoff and ribboncutting ceremony followed a heartfelt program that included remarks from Patterson, teacher reflections, student testimonials, and a presentation of the check from the Campos Foundation, followed by remarks from Superintendent Dr. Kregg Cuellar.

“Through powerful partnerships with our community and industry leaders, we’re opening doors to experiences that connect classroom learning to the real world,” Cuellar said. “Every child—regardless of background—deserves the chance to explore, create, and innovate in ways that prepare them for the future ahead. And this SmartLab is more than a new space; it’s a symbol of what’s possible when we work together to expand these opportunities across Spring ISD.”

Students will begin scheduled SmartLab sessions with their teachers and SmartLab facilitators in the coming weeks. Projects will include robotics, 3D printing, design challenges and collaborative builds—hands-on experiences that connect classroom learning to real-world innovation. This space also represents a broader district vision to expand makerspaces and SmartLabs across Spring ISD, ensuring that every student at every campus has the chance to explore, create and lead through STEM.

The SmartLab curriculum, which spans across grades 1–5, emphasizes the engineering design process: planning, creating, testing, analyzing, and revising. Celina Salazar, Hirsch Elementary’s Gifted and Talented coordinator, said the lab’s impact reaches beyond academics.

“This gives students a chance to show what they know, learn from each other, and realize it’s okay to make mistakes,” Salazar said. “They’re developing collaboration, problem-solving and feedback skills they’ll use for the rest of their lives. For many of them, this is their first time seeing themselves as scientists or engineers.”

By providing both the space and the structure, Hirsch is putting equity into action—leveling the playing field so that students who might not yet see themselves in STEM fields begin to imagine it. The lab provides students with hands-on access to technology and collaboration tools that help connect what they learn in class to real-world innovation.

As the ceremony wound down and the red ribbon lay cut on the floor, Hirsch scholars stepped into the new space and up toward new possibilities. Patterson reflected beamed with hope for a successful future.

“This lab truly unlocks the magic within, and for our Hirsch scholars, the future is brighter than ever,” said Patterson.