SAN ANTONIO, TX -- The Alamo proudly celebrates the grand opening of the Texas Cavaliers Education Center, an extraordinary milestone of progress in the transformational Alamo Plan.
The Texas Cavaliers Education Center, behind the iconic Alamo Church, is the second of three new buildings to open at the historic site through the Alamo Plan. The facility is an adaptive reuse of Alamo Hall, a longtime events and meeting space that originally served as the City of San Antonio's second fire station. The Alamo expects the Education Center to serve 250,000 school-aged children each year.
(Photos and b-roll from Thursday's ribbon cutting are available in our digital asset kit, and our live stream is available on YouTube.)
"What a joy it is to see children now making themselves at home in this incredible space," said Alamo Trust, Inc., President and CEO Secretary Hope Andrade. "The Texas Cavaliers Education Center will be a place where our smallest Texans can walk in the footsteps of heroes and become inspired that they, too, can make an impact that changes history."
The eagerly-anticipated Education Center features safe school bus access, an orientation theater, and immersive classroom space. A STEAM Lab will help connect the Alamo's history to topics like archaeology, architecture, and physics. The Distance Learning Studio, through live broadcasts to schools, will ensure every child in Texas and beyond has access to the Alamo. An Early Learners Hub will provide engaging learning opportunities for children under five.
Outdoor learning spaces include a garden to grow staples like corn, beans, and squash, an acequia irrigation canal, and an horno communal oven for cooking breads, meats, beans, and other foods.
As they close out the successful Fiesta season, the Texas Cavaliers joined the Alamo for this momentous occasion. Through a $5 million donation, the Cavaliers were the among the first groups to answer the call to help make the Alamo Plan a reality, earning them the Education Center's namesake.
"The Texas Cavaliers Charitable Foundation provides direct financial support to organizations that bring hope, basic necessities, resources, and resilience to children across San Antonio," said foundation president Michael Kiolbassa. "We are proud beyond measure to help the Alamo educate future generations about the strength and sacrifice our ancestors made during the Texas Revolution, and ensure they always Remember the Alamo."
###
About Alamo Trust, Inc. | Alamo Trust, Inc. (ATI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that oversees the daily operations at the Alamo and the implementation of the Alamo Plan. Located in the heart of San Antonio, the Alamo stands as the Shrine of Texas Liberty. More than 1.6 million visitors travel to the site each year, making it the #1 most visited destination in the State of Texas. The 300-year history of the Alamo is world-renowned and represents the core of Texas’ identity today. In 1960, the Alamo was designated a United States National Historic Landmark, and in 2015, it became part of the Lone Star State's only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Witness living history, experience authentic artifacts, and explore an iconic landmark that shaped the country. Visit theAlamo.org.