NC Elementary School Wins Grant for Voice Amplification Systems in Classrooms

• By Scott Aronowitz
• 10/22/09

Holly Grove Elementary School of Holly Springs, NC, has won the 2009 Calypso School First Foundation's Be Heard/School Grant. As the grant's recipient, the school will have voice amplification systems installed in 35 of its classrooms, courtesy of multimedia technology provider Calypso Systems.

A Calypso spokesperson pointed to an array of independent research that indicates, at a time when schools and teachers are trying harder than ever to engage students in classroom discussion and activities, there is better in-class communication and increased student achievement with the enhancement offered by voice amplification.

The school applied for the grant after its educators and administrators determined that both overcrowding and outside noise had an adverse impact on classroom communication and, consequently, student attentiveness and alertness. In addition, the school's speech-language pathologist recommended voice amplification as a way to reduce the demands on teachers' speaking voices and the fatigue that often results.

Said Holly Grove Assistant Principal Mike Matthews, "Through the Be Heard/School Grant program and Calypso's voice amplification systems, our students have a better opportunity to engage with teachers and understand the material being taught."

Further information about the Be Heard/School Grant can be found here.