There were plenty of first-day jitters Wednesday as most school districts opened for the year. But in Watkins Glen, students had something special to look forward to. Our Lara Greenberg tells us how a new program involving netbooks is helping students and faculty look to the future.
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WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- Binders and notebooks weren't the only things students at Watkins Glen Middle School toted around Wednesday. They also had HP Pavilion Netbooks.
It's part of the "Learning on the Go" grant the district received with the help of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Eight-hundred-fifty students will receive the computers to be used at home and school.
"We are preparing kids for a 21st century world in which they will be asked to compete globally with digital citizens, if you will, from all over the globe," said Watkins Glen Superintendent Tom Phillips.
Teachers say giving the students these Netbooks will push them into the 21st century, especially for the 40 percent of the student body that doesn't have internet access at home.
"So it is a different environment for the teachers now that they will be assigning different things for them to do outside of class," said GST BOCES ITS teacher Kelley Batrowny.
The district has been using the Mobile Learning Device project the past two years, but until now, students had only been using smartphones and mini-netbooks. It was also only for grades five through eight.
Now high schoolers will participate as well. They'll be able to email assignments, communicate with teachers and classmates and view agendas prior to class.
"It's just a cool experience for younger kids to have them too because not everybody knows about them," said eighth grader Nateah Cornish.
But now there will be equal access for all Watkins Glen students.
The Watkins Glen School District is one of only 20 places throughout the nation to receive the "Learning on the Go" grant.