Mayor Holden Brings HELP Team, Technology to Four East Baton Rouge Parish Schools
BATON ROUGE (September 20, 2006) --- Four East Baton Rouge Parish
schools will receive complete mobile classrooms equipped with education
technology to ensure a 21st century learning environment thanks to the
Hurricane Education Leadership Program (HELP Team), Mayor Melvin L. “Kip”
Holden announced today.
Four HELP Team Mobile Classrooms are
being funded by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation as a result of a donation
received from the Tiger Woods Foundation. The HELP Team, a group of
technology companies and organizations whose mission is to help schools
impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, has purchased the mobile
classrooms to assist schools supporting displaced student populations.
“Bringing technology partnerships to our schools has
been a top priority of our administration,” Holden said. “Our increased
population following Hurricane Katrina made this an even more urgent need.
Each of these mobile classrooms will include carts with up to 30
Intel-based laptop computers, a wireless printer and wireless access
point, an LCD projector, a SMART Board from SMART Technologies, a 30 unit
student response system from eInstruction, and professional development
for the teachers from Futurekids and student assessment from Scantron.
This is a perfect way to use technology in our schools to help students
and teachers adjust to larger classes after the hurricanes displaced
thousands of students and their families to Baton
Rouge.”
LaBelle Aire Elementary School, Baker High School,
Highland Elementary School and Southeast Middle School have been selected
to receive the mobile classrooms. At a press conference at La Belle Aire,
Mayor Holden was joined by HELP Team members Terry Smithson, HELP Team
Manager and Education Strategist for Intel Corporation; Maureen Brim,
Account Executive for Apple Computers; Billy Ridge, Account Executive for
Dell Computers; Carol Dowling, Director of US Sales for Futurekids, a
global leader in education technology providing on-site professional
development for teachers; Tim Loomer, President of Scantron Testing and
Assessment, Darrell Ward, CEO of eInstruction, a leader in instant
response technology, Christel Slaughter, Ph.D., representing the Baton
Rouge Area Foundation and Martha Jane Tassin, former teacher and Metro
Councilwoman for the East Baton Rouge Parish school
district.
“Terry Smithson with Intel Corp. was one of
the first calls I received after Hurricane Katrina brought over 200,000
people to Baton Rouge seeking shelter,” Holden said. “Terry had one simple
question: How can we help? Today, we say thank you to Terry, Intel and the
HELP Team for truly living up to their name.”
“One of the
HELP Team’s goals is to provide support for displaced students by creating
new or rebuilding 21st century learning environments,” Terry Smithson,
education strategist at Intel Corp said. We are excited to provide four
HELP Team mobile classrooms, consisting of the latest and greatest
technology to the Baton Rouge area.”
East Baton Rouge Parish
Superintendent Charlotte Placide joined school principal Da’Anne Lipscomb
in receiving the mobile classroom contribution.
The HELP
Team came together following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to help rebuild
and renew a focus on 21st century learning environments by providing
support, strategic guidance and vision for schools, educators and elected
officials in the impacted areas. For more information on the HELP Team,
please visit http://www.educationhelpteam.org/.
“The Baton Rouge Area Foundation is pleased to be part of
this partnership which will help so many children who have been affected
by Hurricane Katrina, “ said Christel Slaughter, Ph.D. “The thousands of
children who have fallen behind their peers at school are truly among
Katrina’s hidden consequences. These mobile classrooms do more than give
students new tools to catch up. They demonstrate our region’s commitment
to innovative, high-tech educational solutions to prepare our children for
the future.”
Persons interested in joining this effort to
improve the quality of local education for displaced students may visit
www.braf.org for more information on how to support the 21st Century
Classrooms Fund.
About Futurekids
Futurekids is the
premier provider of technology teacher training solutions for schools and
universities around the world. Futurekids has a 22-year record of success
in technology education. Their core competency is providing technology
training as it relates to teaching and learning. They have relationships
and achievements with many key educational partners such as Intel,
IBM and
Dell.
Futurekids is privately owned with headquarters in
Los
Angeles, CA. For more information on Futurekids, please visit http://www.futurekids.com/.
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