The start of the school year is an exciting time for the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools community, as schools are rolling out devices to students. For the 31 Cohort 10 schools that are just beginning their Verizon Innovative Learning journey, rollout is the beginning of new learning opportunities. The event marks a major milestone and is the culmination of months of hard work that began in the spring when teachers received their devices and began planning.
Students from Jasper County Charter System in Georgia were among the first in Cohort 10 to receive their new devices. “My hopes are that we change the lives of kids and we provide access to some of our students who traditionally don’t have it so they can experience some success and maybe move on and achieve whatever their dreams are,” Jasper County High School principal Jim Strength told WGXA News.
The entire school community at Raymond High School in Hinds County, Mississippi, one of two Verizon Innovative Learning Schools in Hinds County School District, couldn’t contain their excitement for their new Chromebooks:
“We wanted to make it exciting for our students,” explained Raymond’s principal Charles Willis on a webinar showcasing rollout events for other Verizon Innovative Learning Schools leaders. “We had a great time. Our teachers, our parents, our community loved it.”
At Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri, rollout was truly a celebration, complete with food, music, and even the mascot of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Watch KSHB-TV’s coverage of Paseo’s rollout:
Across town, Central Middle School, Central High School, and Foreign Language Academy also received iPads from Verizon Innovative Learning Schools:
Yesterday CMS students received their iPads at orientation. Stay tuned to see how these brilliant students use their devices to innovate and create this school year. @AppleEDU @DigitalPromise @Verizon @kcpublicschools 🍎 🏫👩🏿🏫🧑🏫#dpvils #sparkingjoy #thegrindneverstops pic.twitter.com/qCVL0DYvq5
— KCPS Central Middle (@KCPS_CentralMS) August 18, 2023
Our @KCPS_CentralHS students getting their new iPads, courtesy of @Verizon’s Innovative Learning Schools initiative with @DigitalPromise!
A $2.3 million value per school, given to Central High, @KCPS_CentralMS, @KCPS_FLA and @KCPS_Paseo! pic.twitter.com/BHJ529LFyd
— KCPS (@kcpublicschools) August 24, 2023
In New Jersey, three Orange Public Schools joined the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program, which “has been a dream come true for our scholars,” superintendent Dr. Gerald Fitzhugh II told TapintoEast Orange.
📱🌍 Exciting news! Verizon devices have been distributed and our students are fully immersed in their work. With technology at their fingertips, they’re empowered to explore, learn, and create. A big shoutout to @dpvils! 👏#Yearofgrowth @OPAPrincipal pic.twitter.com/bnEN9lTanI
— Orange Prep (@OrangePrep) September 13, 2023
And at nearby Roselle Public Schools, located just 14 miles south of Orange, a celebration was held at Leonard V. Moore Middle School. Check out some photos from the event:
The final district to distribute devices was Cornerstone Schools in Detroit, where students experimented with the new tools available to them during a rollout celebration at Adams-Young Middle School:
Now that all devices have been distributed across Cohort 10, we can’t wait to see what the students will do with their new technology. Many school and district leaders noted how the always-available internet access will be a game changer for students who may not have been able to get online reliably at home before joining the program.
“With this partnership, students will have further abilities to connect to the outside world to create innovative and savvy projects, as well as further their instructional acumen across content areas,” said Dr. Fitzhugh.
Learn more about Verizon Innovative Learning Schools at verizon.digitalpromise.org.
