Rollout is an exciting time for the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools community, as students receive their devices for the school year. Rollout marks the beginning of a journey for the 52 Cohort 6 schools that will be able to embark on new learning opportunities that are not possible without technology.
The Verizon Innovative Learning Schools initiative—made possible by a partnership between Digital Promise and Verizon—works to bridge the Digital Learning Gap by equipping every student and teacher at 152 middle schools across the country with devices and up to a four-year data plan. In addition to technology and access, Verizon Innovative Learning Schools receive extensive teacher training, support, and the opportunity to engage in a unique, immersive curriculum to leverage technology in their classrooms.
“When I think about the endless possibilities with this program [and] our partnership with Verizon, it makes me smile at night before I go to sleep,” said Wanda Ruffins, the principal at Cloverdale Middle School in Little Rock, Arkansas, on the day students received their iPads for the school year.
“The iPads are going to be a game changer for us,” said Cloverdale’s aerospace engineering teacher Garrick St. Pierre, who explained that when the program began last year, students didn’t have the ability to do their work outside of school. “Having the technology with them at all times will greatly enhance their experiment [planning and] results.”
“This is a step in the direction of equity,” Ruffins added. “Let’s give our kids the tools [so] that they can be successful. Let’s invest in our students right now, because we can’t do our future unless we do it right now.”
Watch the video below to see how Cloverdale celebrated rollout. To learn more about Verizon Innovative Learning Schools, visit verizon.digitalpromise.org.
