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Contest To Award Districts $150,000 in Wireless Gear

Wireless equipment manufacturer Ruckus Wireless will award 802.11n WiFi makeovers to three school districts in the United States and Canada. The company launched a grant program Tuesday that allows K-12 schools, districts, and home schools to nominate themselves for their share of $150,000 in hardware and services.

The Back-to-School WiFi Makeover program asks participants to write a 500-word essay explaining why they need a wireless network and encourages them to back up the essay with a short video (shorter than three minutes) posted on YouTube. Entries will be judged based on creativity, originality, and appropriateness to the contest theme.

Prizes will include:

  • First prize: A complete wireless network plus installation and configuration, including 50 dual-band 802.11n APs and a WLAN controller.
  • Second prize: 25 dual-band 802.11n APs and a WLAN controller.
  • Third prize: 12 dual-band 802.11n APs and a WLAN controller.

Judges will include representatives from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Council of the Great City Schools, St. Vrain Valley School District, and this publication.

The nomination period is open now through June 15. WInners will be announced at the ISTE 2011 conference June 29. Further details, including complete rules and a nomination form, can be found here.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


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