My students need a laptop that allows them to efficiently run Jostens desktop publishing software. A Samsung Chromebook will provide my students with real world tools.
My students have been doing more with less for a decade. The journalism and yearbook students write, edit, revise and publish without their own lab. Utilizing online publishing software and intense organization skills have allowed us to get by. It is our time shine with Samsung Chrome laptops.
My students are from a tough mining town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
They take care of one another and that was conveyed in last year's Sports Illustrated Underdogs Award. The community was a driving force behind helping the 2012 football team rise above adversity and win the State Championship Division 7 Football Title. On the gridiron and in the classroom students challenge themselves to work hard and strive for something better. The backs of students shirts read "Work Pays". Many of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch programs but you would not see it on their faces or in their attitudes. This school is the third school I've had the pleasure of teaching in and I know we have something special concerning our school's climate and overall respect. The top five percent of our graduating seniors participate in a local community funded celebration of excellence, in collaboration with the local mine, that awards $1500 scholarships. "Work Pays" in the classroom too.
My Project
The true value of this laptop rests in the ease of use and their mobility. Without a designated lab our students meet in a variety of places that these laptops can always be brought to. Our school is Wi-Fi accessible on each floor. The laptop only require Wi-Fi and power. Other laptops that we have requested require expensive software. The Cloud allows students to save with protection. The environment established in journalism and yearbook class has a hierarchy; advertisers, photographers, "caption queens", reporters, layout editors, business managers and editors. The laptop will be used by students during class periods for a variety of these jobs but at meetings our editor in chief, advisor and business manager will be able to facilitate in depth analysis accessing Google's spreadsheets and Drive applications. Meetings will run efficiently and students will be proud of the agendas, presentations and achievements that the laptop will allow them to create and exhibit.
We are dedicated to providing teenagers with the best opportunities and the laptop reflects that desire and passion.
I will be able to model real world applications and bring a vast array of Ted Talks etc. to them with this tool. The amazing things my students will create with these tools have not even been thought of yet. Our budget does not allocate funds for these items. The students that have access to the laptop will know that what we are doing is relevant and important.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Stiles and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.