Assabet Using $40,000 from Verizon for Teacher Development

The Assabet Valley Technical High School is one of 12 schools in the country that was selected as a Verizon Innovative Learning School using a $40,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation for ongoing training in the use of smart phone and tablet applications in the classroom.

"I don't think technology will ever replace teachers in the classroom, but if teachers are not incoporating technology into their lessons and their curriculum, they will be left behind," said Assabet Teacher Alexia Forhan.

The funds were distributed in April and have been funding ongoing teacher training. The importance of this ongoing training is that it truly allows the teachers to exmbrace and learn the technology rather than getting a brief introduction, said Director of Curriculum Robert McCann III.

"We know how important it is to use technology in our day-to-day lives," said Representative Carolyn Dykema, D-Holliston. "We cannot even imagine, when the young people in this room enter the work force, the amount of reliance we are going to have."

The partnership makes sense for Verizon as well, said Rose Stuckey Kirk, President of the Verizon Foundation, as the company needs people competent in technology.

"We are a technology company. We are a global technology company and our success is built ... on the backs of engineers and individuals who have spent their lives inside of STEM subjects," she said.

Stuckey Kirk announced the Verizon Innovative App Challenge where teams of students from schools around the country can put forward an idea for an Android application. Ten of those ideas will be selected to receive $10,000 to fund a build out of the application. The final application will be made available to download onto Android products.

Students who have been benefitting from their teacher's training, through the use of 50 iPads, were enthusiastic about this challenge and what it could mean for the school.

"We are able to learn the material in science and ... we can re-teach the material in a way we know (our fellow classmates) can understand," said Gianna Ferrecchia of a teaching application for the device.

The challenge registration opened Wednesday with submissions accepted until January 18 of 2013.