BHUSD Explores Career-Connected Learning with visit to Garner Holt Productions

Behind the polished attractions and animatronic magic of Garner Holt Productions lies something more powerful than entertainment: a real opportunity to connect students to meaningful, hands-on learning. And last week, BHUSD leadership took an encouraging step toward bringing that kind of inspired engagement into our own schools.

During a visit to the Education Through Imagination program in Redlands, Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss and members of the Board of Education explored how robotics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and animatronics can serve as gateways—not gimmicks—to deeper academic exploration. The tour wasn’t just about marveling at technology; it was about understanding how storytelling, design, and engineering can work together to drive purposeful, career-connected education.

“We were inspired by how technology and storytelling come together to spark curiosity and creativity,”

“This experience deepened our understanding of how BHUSD might thoughtfully design future academic programs that integrate immersive, high-impact learning aligned with our commitment to Educational Excellence.”

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The Garner Holt model doesn’t just dazzle. It teaches. Students learn coding, mechanics, fabrication, storytelling, and presentation—all within a structured framework that rewards effort, precision, and teamwork. These are the kinds of projects that don’t just entertain; they prepare students for fields in engineering, media production, and digital innovation.

But what makes this approach worth watching is its potential alignment with BHUSD’s core mission: fostering educational excellence through innovation that doesn’t abandon fundamentals. When immersive technology is paired with clear expectations, academic rigor, and support from well-trained educators, it becomes a tool for creativity with accountability.

We should applaud this visit not just for its optimism, but for the thoughtful questions it invites. What programs could BHUSD develop around this model? How can we ensure all students—not just the most advanced—benefit from such opportunities? What teacher training and curricular adjustments would be needed to make this work in practice?

The answers will take time. But this initiative reflects something BHUSD needs more of: bold exploration anchored by common-sense values. If the district continues down this path with focus and integrity, students stand to gain not only new tools—but new purpose in learning.