Tablets, mobiles and STEM
Verizon invests in five CMS schools to provide digital access
On Oct. 12, students at Whitewater
Middle received take-home tablet devices
for the current school year through Verizon
Innovative Learning. In partnership with the
nonprofit Digital Promise, Verizon Innovative
Learning will make an investment to equip
every sixth- through eighth-grade student
and teacher at five CMS schools with a
personal mobile device and a two-year
Verizon Wireless 4G LTE data plan. Other
schools that have received devices are Bruns
Academy, Druid Hills Academy, Reid Park
Academy and Westerly Hills Academy.
a passion for STEM and hopefully
pursue a job in the field.”
Teachers will receive
comprehensive, ongoing professional
development on the effective
integration of mobile technology in
lessons. At each school, tech squads
comprised of students are learning
how to tell the story of how digital
learning is impacting them.
Whitewater seventh-grader
Cindy Lely, who wants to become an
engineer, was glad to be part of the
tech squad.
“CMS is fortunate to have the support
of Verizon Foundation and Digital Promise
for this innovative-learning school grant,”
“I’m so excited about everything
I’m going to learn as part of the tech
squad. We received our IPads a few
weeks ago so we could play with them
and then we could show others how to
use them,” said Cindy.
The students will keep the devices for two years. As a safeguard, any
lost or stolen devices will be turned off and will be unusable.
“Technology is ingrained in almost everything,” said Yadira Ferreyra, a
mother of a seventh-grader. “This is going to be a great help to my son in
and out of school.”
said Dr. Valerie Truesdale, chief officer for technology, personalization and
engagement. “With the digital tools and the continued opportunity to learn
at home, we can stretch toward our goals of increasing student engagement
and extending learning beyond the school day. Having home connectivity is a
game-changer for these middle school students.”
Students received their devices during a Connect to STEM event that
included science, technology and engineering activities. Students used
headsets to learn about physical and life sciences at the virtual reality
universe kiosk.
”The virtual reality was fun. I saw animals in a jungle and the
constellations. It really felt like I was there,” said JaNya Bowen-Truesdale, an
eighth-grader.
At another display, students uncovered STEM career paths and saw
themselves as future professionals in a digital-mosaic art installation.
Students also participated in the great BB-8 race, which allowed them to use
their tablets to control BB-8 droids a