PHOTO BY JEFF NELSON

STUDENTS INVOLVED IN PROJECTS STEMMING FROM THE TECHNOLOGY GRANT MADE A PRESENTATION JAN. 22 to the Fife School Board. (left to right) Fife School Board President Bob Scheidt; students Mitchell Odd and Justin Niedermeyer; teacher Leanna Aker; students Helen Mills and Deziree Iams; and Fife Superintendent Dr. Steve McCammon.

CJH one of 130 to receive grant

$31,000 grant includes HP wireless equipment and faculty stipend

By Staff Writers

Columbia Junior High School has been selected as one of 130 K-12 public schools nationwide to receive the 2007 HP Technology for Teaching grant, which is designed to transform and improve learning in the classroom through innovative uses of technology.

During the 2007-2008 academic year, HP Technology for Teaching grant projects will impact more than 36,000 K-12 students. Columbia will receive an award package of HP products and a cash stipend for each teacher with a total value of more than $31,000.

Each of the HP Technology for Teaching grant recipients will use HP wireless Tablet PC technology to enhance learning in engineering, math, science, computer science or business courses. Columbia’s project, “Living in the Northwest,” will involve science and math teachers using the granted technology to facilitate peer review on a web portal, demonstrate proper use of computer probeware in data collection, and document experiments through digital imagery. The culmination of the project will involve students presenting experimental findings to local community scientists.

“This grant will give students the opportunity to perform meaningful, ongoing peer critique of all aspects of the science process. Furthermore, students will see the relationship between subjects as they use their own data to learn about graphs and patterns in math class,” said Leanna Aker, project lead for the grant.

“We’re very proud of the hard work of our science department, and special congratulations to Mrs. Aker for her leadership in obtaining this prestigious grant. The ultimate benefit of this grant and work will be for our students,” commented CJH Principal Jeff Nelson.

This year, both the science and the math departments at Columbia have taken part in district-provided “Wow Academies” that provide teachers the time to design engaging work for students. This grant will afford new opportunities for the design of authentic science and math experiences for Columbia’s students.

In 2007, HP is awarding 172 K-12 public schools and two- and four-year colleges and universities in the United States and Puerto Rico more than $7 million in mobile technology, cash and professional development as part of its 2007 HP Technology for Teaching grant program. Since 2004, HP has contributed a total of $36 million in HP Technology for Teaching grants to more than 650 schools worldwide. During the past 20 years, HP has contributed more than $1 billion in cash and equipment to schools, universities, community organizations and other nonprofit organizations around the world.

“HP empowers students and teachers to succeed through innovative uses of technology and training,” said Sidney Espinosa, director, Philanthropy Program, HP. “We invest in schools to increase educational attainment and contribute to the development of a skilled, diverse workforce in the future.”

More information about the 2007 HP Technology for Teaching program and grant recipients is available at www.hp.com/go/hpteach. More information about Columbia is available at www.fifeschools.com/cjh.

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