Apple Inc. Awards Rural AL Schools With Funding For Technology Development
We brought you the news first last night: Apple Incorporated will give $100 million to improve 114 schools across the nation — five of those schools are right here in Alabama. Tonight– we’re taking you inside one of those schools to see how the money will help.
One school in Marion; another in Camden; and three schools in Macon County will get some help from Apple to change the way students and teachers use technology to learn.
The lesson plan in some Alabama schools will soon look bit different thanks to Apple CEO, Tim Cook.
“We’re going to send our education team to help them create new ways of learning. Our retail teams to bring them popular coding cams,” Said Cook.
School leaders are happy to get the money — money that will be put to good use.
Especially at schools like Booker T. Washington High School in Macon County, a school in desperate need of a technology upgrade.
“For example, because we didn’t have enough computers in our two computer labs, we have tried to piece together older computers so that we can have more labs for students,” Said BWHS Princial, Alfred Nelson.
There are 3 computer labs inside BWHS. One of them was nearly empty with only a handful of computers that were usable. Nelson says there’s not enough money to buy more computers. A total of about 65 computers for 600 students.
When we asked tenth grader, Justin Finky, how often he goes inside the lab…
“Seldomly because most of the work we do is not on computers, but when we do go some of the computer are not working,” Said Finky.
Soon, students will get their own iPADS, teachers will get an iPAD and a Mac Book. The wi-fi will be faster, and classrooms will get Apple TV.
Apple won’t say how much money each school will get, but school officials say it will be enough to meet the need.
“To give our students the very best. To put them on an even playing field with the world,” Said Nelson.
As for the 3 schools in Macon County, Nelson says getting this funding means more to them than ever especially after so many of those student’s parents lost their jobs when Victoryland closed. So for the sudents who may have not had the resources to log on the internet, they soon will.
Nelson says he hopes to have the new technology implemented by next school year. Apple plans to come teach students and teachers how to use all the equipment.
Two other schools in Macon County received the donation, including Tuskegee Public School and Notasulga High School. Albert Turner Senior Elementary School in Marion and J.E. Hobbs Elementary in Camden were also awarded.
