The National Ranching Heritage Center at Texas Tech University contacted teachers at Crestview Elementary to ask if their students could visit their new center. These students were invited to be the inaugural, you might say ‘pioneer’ visitors of the new exhibit.  

The students enjoyed the indoor and outdoor experiences, including an immersive ranching experience, guided by the famous character, Hank the Cowdog and hologram of author John R. Erickson.  

“Students enjoyed learning about horses and cattle care, natural landscape and plants, water resource control with hands-on water pumps, waterways and gates, a cowboy’s gear and tools, a pioneer’s kitchen, and a working windmill, among other activities,” said Saundra Wimberley, Crestview Elementary first grade teacher. 

The purpose of having the students visit The Cash Family Pioneer Life Education Center was to help staff add finishing touches before the center is open to the public.  

“Museum personnel watched with great interest for over an hour as almost 100 first graders explored and tried out everything they could touch. They took down vital information about what was working well, received well by the students, and what few things needed a little tweaking before the grand opening,” said Wimberley. 

Overall, it was a special day for the students and teachers. In addition to exploring the new center, the students ate lunch at the museum and visited three structures as the teachers taught about pioneer and cowboy life, and local history. 

“We had a wonderful time and were honored to be the first people to get to experience the new center,” said Wimberley. 

The Cash Family Pioneer Life Education Center will officially open to the public on October 12, 2023.