District Five school awarded $45,000 in technology grants
October 30, 2014
IRMO, SC – A Lexington-Richland District Five school is one of only two nationwide awarded $45,000 in grants to help increase the use of advanced technology in classrooms.
Irmo Middle School is a grand prize winner of the 12th annual Win a Wireless Lab Sweepstakes from digital content provider Discover Education and technology service provider CDW-G, the companies announced Oct. 29. As part of the prize Irmo Middle will receive around 20 notebooks or tablets, an interactive whiteboard, three wireless access points, notebook cart, document camera, a printer and a $5,000 digital media grant from Discovery Education. North Miami Beach Senior High School was also a winner of the nationwide contest.
“Our science department is thrilled to be able to implement this technology into their lesson plans,” said Irmo Middle Principal Robert Jackson. “Our teachers are constantly looking for innovative ways to supplement the curriculum and guarantee that our students have the tools and resources they need to succeed. These new resources ensure that every student in our science classrooms has access to the latest digital tools needed to help them master the academic standards and develop the prerequisite skills required for college and career readiness.”
Irmo Middle science teacher Cheryl Harrison entered and won the sweepstakes for the international academic magnet school. She says the technology can be used to make lessons interactive and hands-on for students.
“We’re excited to be a winner of the wireless lab,” she said. “We’re already thinking of ways that we can use the technology in the classroom and the ways that the content from Discovery Education will help our students. At Irmo Middle, our students are using technology on a daily basis…so the technology from CDW-G and content from Discover Education will enhance some of the technology our students already use here at our school.”
Officials with Discover Education and CDW-G planned a November training event with students and teachers at the two schools to help them best utilize the new technology. Irmo Middle and North Miami Beach Senior High School were randomly selected from more than 417,000 entries from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Since its inception, the Win a Wireless Lab Sweepstakes has awarded almost $2 million in classroom technology, including complete mobile classrooms implemented in 33 schools across 21 states.
“Technology is the way of the future – and our students will dictate that future,” said Joe Simone, director of K-12, CDW-G. “CDW-G sponsors Win a Wireless Lab because it enables us to put innovative technology in K-12 schools and in the hands of our students, giving educators the opportunity to redefine the classroom experience.”
Mary Rollins, senior vice president for Discovery Education, added: “Discovery Education is thrilled to provide educators and students with today’s latest digital content to successfully transition classrooms into 21st-century learning environments. These dynamic, digital resources will engage students and enhance classroom instruction beyond the limitations of traditional textbooks, promoting collaboration, creativity and participatory learning.”
