14 News, The Tri-State's News and Weather Leader-EVSC receives largest grant in the state
By Brandon Bartlett - bio | email | Twitter
Posted by Sarah Harlan - email
EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) - The EVSC is getting the largest amount of grant money in the state to help bring more technology to the classroom.
There may even be a new technology high school program in the future.
"Kids are right now going to be taking jobs when they grow up that don't even exist, and all that's centered around technology," EVSC technology coordinator Mike Russ said.
Technology is the future, and school leaders said this new grant will put students on the right track.
The EVSC was awarded $450,000.
It will share part of the grant money with the North Daviess Community School System.
Of EVSC's portion, nearly $300,000 will be used to purchase state of the art technology.
The rest will be used to train teachers on how to incorporate it into the classroom.
"Kids have got to compete in the 21st century world, and you can't do that if you're still in the 20th century," Russ said.
Some of the textbooks EVSC students are using are about six years old.
That's why this year the system decided the only way students could get up to date information is by putting laptops in the classroom.
"If you think of science and social studies as an example, stuff gets old within a couple years," Russ said. "Some books are old when we get them."
But when students open their netbooks, they open up a world of information.
Some of that information posted just seconds ago.
Russ said the grant money will allow the EVSC to purchase new software that will allow students to be more hands on with projects than ever before.
"The kids will be involved in showing the teachers what to do," Russ said.
Because most students are up to date on the latest technology, a team of students from each high school will help the teachers develop plans for the classroom.
"Teachers may have great ideas but aren't sure how to implement them, and kids have the skills and the vision on how to do that," Russ said.
The EVSC will also be hosting a series of meetings where you can ask school leaders questions.
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