Two elementary school teachers were surprised with giant checks Monday morning.
No, they weren’t Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes checks delivered by Ed McMahon.
The checks were technology grants hand-delivered by EDS employee Paul Ward.
Oxford Elementary fourth-grade teacher Krista Rushlow and Leonard Elementary library media specialist Laura Kasper each received a $1,500 EDS Technology Grant.
The EDS Technology Grant Program helps teachers of children ages 6 through 18 purchase information technology products and services that will improve their students? ability to learn. Each year, EDS offices worldwide sponsor and award $1,500 grants to teachers through a competitive application process.
Last year was the first time school library media specialists were eligible to apply for the grants.
Grants must be used to pay for technology products, training and servicEDS encourages teachers to propose innovative classroom projects or student exercises. Teachers are asked to explain the innovative nature of their project, how they or their students will use the requested technology and how the technology will improve their students? ability to achieve curriculum objectives.
Rushlow plans to buy a ‘visual presenter,? which is basically a high-tech overhead projection system that can display books and students? papers without having to transfer the material onto transparencies as with traditional overhead projectors. It can also display three-dimensional objects placed on it and be hooked up to a computer to display text and images.
The visual presenter will allow students to show and share their work with the rest of the class without delay and without having to duplicate it on a transparency.
‘I’m in shock, absolute shock. I’m so excited,? said Rushlow of the grant. ‘I can’t wait, I want to order it right now.?
Kasper plans to use her grant money to purchase an ‘interactive white board.?
It basically looks like a standard dry erase marker board, but it’s really an interactive computer screen teachers and students can operate by touch. Also, anything students and teachers write on the board can be captured and saved.
‘I’m flabbergasted,? said Kasper. ‘The school’s going to really benefit from this.?
Kasper said the interactive technology will help keep students involved and interested. The board will be at the entire school’s disposal.
Teachers and librarians in 38 locations around the world are being awarded 103 technology grants from EDS this year.
Nine grants were awarded in Michigan, according to Ward.
Fourteen Oxford teachers applied for the EDS technology grants this year.
This is the third consecutive year Oxford Schools has received grant money from EDS.es.