HHS alum launches fundraising campaign for VR rebuild of former Hillsboro High School
Nathan Smith of Orlando, Fla., formerly of Hillsboro, this week launched a funding campaign at forwardhillsboro.org for a virtual reality rebuild of the former Hillsboro High School that was demolished in 2009.
Smith, a 2005 graduate of Hillsboro High School and a 2007 graduate of Wilmington College, grew up in Highland County from the time he was 2. Smith was a manager at Star Cinemas for five years and also worked at the Hillsboro KFC, along with student teaching at Hillsboro High School.
“Over the course of 75 years (1935-2009), nearly 20,000 Hillsboro students passed through the doors of Hillsboro High School — a grand, three-story neocolonial building near the center of town,” Smith wrote on his fundraising page. “When the building was demolished in 2009, it left a void in the community that has yet to be filled. “This project aims to digitally resurrect the iconic school. Our goal is to create a virtual reality (VR) experience, allowing people to virtually walk through the school's halls and relive its cherished memories. Your contribution will help us bring a significant piece of Hillsboro's past back to life, preserve its legacy for future generations and set a standard for what we can accomplish when we work together as one.”
Smith said that he came up with the idea for a VR build of the former high school building and is partnering with McCarty Associates as well as Harsha Monument Company for the project. He told The Highland County Press that their help has “been invaluable” thus far.
Smith is also working with historian Aaron Turner and leaning on the research efforts by local historian Dr. Tara Beery.
“We have the concept, we have the artifacts, we have a team of community collaborators,” Smith said in a promotional video. “We have a team of professionals to complete the job from start to finish. All that’s left is funding.”
The campaign is seeking to raise $12,000 — thanks to the reduced cost offered by McCarty Associates — through this fundraising campaign and through grant funding, according to Smith, with a goal of launching the VR experience in summer 2025.
To contribute, visit forwardhillsboro.org, where there are “perks” offered depending on the amount donated. There you can also watch the promotional video about the project.
To follow updates about Smith’s project, go to: https://www.facebook.com/everforwardhillsboro.
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