Nashua SD Outfits Classes with Laptops through Dell and Digital Wish

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 09/20/12

For the second year, schools in Nashua School District have received a substantial grant from Digital Wish and Dell to place technology in their classrooms. The latest fund, worth $80,000, will place 50 laptops in two classrooms, one at Amherst Street Elementary and another at Mount Pleasant Elementary. The grant also comes with professional services. A local Dell technology integrator will assist the teachers in setting up the 1-to-1 programs and work with the district's IT department to ensure that the wireless infrastructure at the schools will be sufficient. After school, students will be able to work with Dell volunteers on special projects, to develop their computing skills.

In 2011 a teacher in the district submitted a grant for the same program, which was accepted. She received 37 laptops, two laptop carts, and access points, as well as professional development and curriculum.

Digital Wish is a non-profit that helps schools reach out to potential supporters in acquiring classroom technology. The organization was selected as a recipient of Dell's 2012 "Powering the Possible" Primary/K-12 grant.

"Digital Wish's current program in Nashua builds on Dell's past support of our 1-to-1 computing initiative in 24 schools in Vermont and one school last year in Nashua," said Heather Chirtea, executive director of Digital Wish. "We are very thankful as this continued partnership with Dell will allow us to replicate all of those valuable lessons we learned in Vermont and Nashua schools, and apply them directly to two more schools in the Nashua School District, bringing us one step closer to putting relevant technology in every classroom in America."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

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