iAm Laptop Project

Hey guys, I know I've been way out of the loop this Summer. We've been so busy with lots of great projects here at the State Library. I will update you on those shortly but I first wanted to share a posting from the LibraryTrax blog that I thought you'd be interested in. It was posted by Felicia Vereen on August 22nd to announce the schools chosen for the laptop project.

Senator James H. “Jim” Ritchie, Jr., Majority Whip, announced the six iAm Laptop Pilot Program grant recipient schools on August 13. $5 million in funding will go to six public schools to provide laptops to all ninth grade students. If this pilot is successful, it is anticipated to be expanded to all SC schools, providing laptops to all SC ninth grade students.

The schools chosen for the pilot are:

• Midland Valley, Aiken School District
• Scott’s Branch, Clarendon School District 1
• CA Johnson, Richland School District 1
• Lakewood High, Sumter School District 2
• Bethune-Bowman, Orangeburg School District 5
• Creek Bridge, Marion School District 7

Two alternate schools were also named:

• Broome High, Spartanburg School District 3
• Marion High, Marion School District 1

Senator Ritchie said, “The iAm Laptop Pilot Program provides a unique opportunity to couple cutting edge technology with modern teaching techniques to greatly enhance the competitiveness of all South Carolina students, especially those currently stuck in underperforming schools. No longer will our students be limited to traditional school hours and teaching methods. Instead, this program will provide our young people with the educational resources necessary to say ‘I am in charge of my future. I am the future of South Carolina.’ This program places South Carolina in the forefront of innovation and is an important strategy to improve equity and opportunity among all of our high school students.”

The program begins Fall 2007.