High school gets wireless laptops

Jenkins County High School students using their computer skills in the mobile computer lab are, from left, Tatanya Scott, Sharanta Dixon, Emiliy English, Samantha Barrs, Ra'Shon Brady, Teanna Taylor, Shenice Thompson, Marquett Young and Jonathan Carrie. (Photo contributed)

Students and teachers at Jenkins County High School (JCHS) have a new tool to assist with instruction and learning. Melissa Williams, Jenkins County curriculum director, wrote and received a grant to place 18 wireless laptop computers in the high school. The wireless lab essentially brings the computer lab to a classroom.

Donna Boone, ninth-grade Freshman Academy teacher, states, "Students are able to sit at their desk and create projects without the wasted class time of walking down to the computer lab. Students have been excited and really motivated while researching."

The wireless technology, especially, frees teachers to move around the classroom, interact more with students and encourage their participation in lessons. These computers will be an excellent tool for teachers in providing engaging, hands on technology rich standards based lessons.

Students in the Freshman Academy use their computer skills and the mobile computer lab to learn about gravitational forces and projectile motion in Mrs. Boone's Physical Science class.

Students can work in small groups or individually as they search the Internet to supplement information they learned in lectures and from their textbook. Students in Coach Whitt's Health classes also used the mobile lab while learning about phobias.