Verizon Wireless presented students at Austin Middle School, in addition to four other Irving ISD schools, with free tablet devices to use this school year on Friday, Oct. 6. As a part of the company’s #WeNeedMore campaign, 5000 students and 490 teachers at select schools across Irving received these tablet devices – free of charge – to enhance their learning experience.
Verizon has partnered with the nonprofit Digital Promise to provide 1-to-1 mobile devices with two-year Verizon Wireless 4G LTE data plans including 24/7 internet access to thousands of Irving students in an effort to address the fact that too few low-income students have access to high-speed internet. According to Verizon, research shows this lack of access creates a learning disadvantage.
“There are more than 4 million available jobs in science and technology. However, millions of kids can’t compete for them because they lack access to technology and educational resources – leaving too many kids behind,” Jeannine Brew, Verizon’s South Central Market PR Manager, told the North Dallas Gazette. “We need more kids to see the world of possibilities waiting for them. That’s why Verizon, is giving free technology, free access, and immersive, hands-on learning to kids in need.”
“The feedback has been phenomenal,” Brew continued. “Students in Irving are so excited about what they will be able to learn and teachers are enthusiastic about how they will be able to teach.”
Verizon’s partner in the venture, Digital Promise, will be providing all 5 schools with a full-time technology coach for two years to guarantee students are taught to use the new technology properly. The five Irving schools who have received tablets and technology coaches are: Austin, Bowie, Houston, Lamar, and Crockett middle schools. Both Verizon and Digital Promise plan to expand their campaign in the future.
“Currently the program is in 74 schools nationwide, which includes 28 entering the program this school year of which five are in Irving ISD,” Brew told the North Dallas Gazette. “It’s now reaching 28,000 students. We are working with our partner, Digital Promise, to plan for the schools that will join us next school year.”
More information on the #WeNeedMore campaign can be found here,
