We first met Nakia, a student at Chilhowee Middle School in rural Benton, Tennessee, in 2018. “Polk County is one of the counties you don’t think about very much,” she said of her town of fewer than 2,000 people. “We’d look at another school that has technology, and we’re like, ‘Wow, I wish we had those possibilities.’”
Those possibilities became a reality for Nakia and her classmates when Chilhowee became a Verizon Innovative Learning School in 2017. “Becoming a Verizon Innovative Learning School opened up a whole new world of teaching and learning for our schools,” said Danielle McClary, the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools coach at Chilhowee, during their second year in the program. “It sparked innovation in our teachers and students that was missing previously, put our students on equal footing with many of our surrounding districts, and made them feel like they, too, deserve success in life.”
After four successful years as Verizon Innovative Learning Schools, Chilhowee was among six participating schools that were selected by Digital Promise as Verizon Innovative Learning demonstration schools in 2022 for their commitment to powerful learning propelled by technology, one of the five domains of Digital Promise’s Digital Equity Framework.
Every student and teacher at Chilhowee, Austin Middle School (Texas), John A. Sutter Middle School (California), Lamar Middle School (Texas), Mater Academy Charter Middle School (Florida), and W.E.B. DuBois Academy (Kentucky) received a new internet-connected device, and educators and school leaders were tapped to share best practices and stories of impact with the broader Verizon Innovative Learning Schools network for the last two years. These six schools were part of Cohorts 4 and 5, first joining the program in 2017 or 2018.
As their time as Verizon Innovative Learning demonstration schools comes to an end with the conclusion of the program’s 10th anniversary year, leaders from these six schools reflected on the four most powerful impacts the partnership has had on their school communities.
The leaders agreed that the impact of Verizon Innovative Learning Schools on their school communities has been immense. Increasing teacher confidence and proficiency in technology, increasing student engagement, and increasing access for students leading to greater equity were common themes.
“The impact of Verizon Innovative Learning Schools on our school community is immeasurable,” McClary said. “From devices to professional development to everything in between, our school would not be what it is today without Verizon Innovative Learning Schools.”
Mariella Vaconcelos is a former math teacher who now serves as Mater Academy Charter Middle School’s Verizon Innovative Learning Schools coach, and she has seen firsthand the impact of the partnership in her school community. “It’s been transformative, especially for students who lacked access to technology outside of school,” she said. “Verizon Innovative Learning Schools has bridged that gap, ensuring all students have the tools they need to succeed.”
“Teachers are far more confident and willing to integrate technology into their class, and they’re willing to take more risks with technology,” added Christine Shive, the former digital learning coach at Austin Middle School.
When the six schools were selected as Verizon Innovative Learning demonstration schools, they received validation for all the hard work they had put in during their first four years as active participants in the program. Many of the leaders were excited to share what they had learned with schools in more recent cohorts.
“We have been so proud to be a demonstration school,” said McClary. “It’s been wonderful for administrators, teachers, and students to be recognized for their innovative ideas and hard work. Plus, we were so grateful for the device refresh.”
“Being a demonstration school has meant that DuBois has had the opportunity to share its unique culture and story,” said Katie Punsly, the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools coach at W.E.B. Dubois Academy. “DuBois is proud of the Afrocentric curriculum that it offers to the young men of color that it serves.”
The third and fourth year of the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program is focused on sustaining the systems schools have built so the benefits of the partnership carry long beyond the program’s four years. The six demonstration schools began their Verizon Innovative Learning Schools journeys in 2017 or 2018 and have been able to sustain their learnings years after officially “graduating.”
“When an initiative is important and positively impacts teaching and learning, you have to make it a priority,” said Maria Montero, the assistant principal at Mater Academy Charter Middle School. “We have been able to sustain the program for so long because we have prioritized sustaining the program.”
“We learned from the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools professional development opportunities, and then we designed our own to target the specific needs of our school,” said Debbie Bermeo Boswell, the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools liaison at Sutter Middle School. “We believe that providing our teachers and students with the tools to be successful helps sustain enthusiasm and momentum for ensuring longevity and continued success.”
Leaders credited the sustainability to supportive district leaders, as well as the professional learning and resources provided by the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools team.
“I think that we have been able to sustain the program because of the strong professional learning community of our Verizon Innovative Learning Schools in Jefferson County Public Schools,” said Punsly. “The coaches have an amazing collaborative relationship with each other, and the district leaders all offer excellent support.”
McClary agreed. “We’ve been able to sustain the program for so long because we have district supervisors, principals, tech coaches, and teachers who have a shared vision for our schools. All of these stakeholders have been a part of the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program since Day 1 and see the value in what technology can do for our classrooms and schools. It’s not always been easy work, but communication and teamwork have been key factors in allowing our Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program to flourish.”
One of the cornerstones of Verizon Innovative Learning Schools is the student tech team. These teams of students not only help with resolving device issues, but also take on leadership roles within the schools.
“We have the most amazing group of students in our student tech team, the Genius Squad,” Montero said. “They are so motivated, so excited to learn, and even more excited to share their knowledge. They are, without question, the best thing that has come out of our Verizon Innovative Learning Schools partnership. Genius Squad runs the show. They are not just part of our device care, maintenance, inventory, and troubleshooting plan—they ARE the plan. Our student tech team is part of the reason why we are able to sustain the program in the first place. They are somehow both the grassroots and behind the scenes, but also the marquis and face of our technology initiatives.”
Joanna Kendrick, the former digital learning coach at Lamar Middle School, added: “The student tech team at Lamar can basically run the tech office on their own, and when the campus technician had to be out, they pretty much did!”
Now Verizon Innovative Learning Schools alumni once again, leaders from the six demonstration schools can look back and appreciate what the partnership has brought to their campuses, as well as to their own professional growth.
“We’ve embraced technology as a tool for enhancing learning, and our teachers are open to new ideas and approaches,” said Vaconcelos. “This flexibility has been crucial in integrating Verizon Innovative Learning Schools into our school culture.”
Michael Mitrani, the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools liaison at Mater Academy Charter Middle School and Vaconcelos’ colleague, agreed. “I believe that our biggest strength is the culture that we have cultivated over the last seven years,” he said. “Our teachers are open and expecting to learn about new tools that are designed to make their classes more engaging. The addition of the devices in our classrooms has engaged the students and taught them that technology is not just a consumption device, but a gateway to advanced learning.”
Learn more about Verizon Innovative Learning Schools at verizon.digitalpromise.org, watch all six demonstration school videos, and find out how the program has resulted in greater job satisfaction among participating teachers and coaches by reading our recent white paper.
