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LOUISIANA EDUCATION INITIATIVE
COMPUTERIZED AFTER SCHOOL LAPTOP PROGRAM Virtue Foundation is undertaking an after-school laptop-based program for underprivileged children in the greater New Orleans area, particularly those displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. On March 9th, 2006, the Foundation delivered 60 Apple iBook G4 laptop computers on mobile learning carts with additional camera, video, and music equipment to Hammond Westside Upper Elementary School in Tangipahoa Parish and the Renaissance Village Trailer Park in Baker. The event was covered by Cynthia McFadden of ABC Nightline and will be aired on March 16th. Pioneered through the "Rebuilding Louisiana through Education" initiative, children in both Hammond and Baker have enthusiastically received the laptops, and it is hoped that many more will soon be available to other parishes with large numbers of displaced students. The educational facilities provided by Virtue Foundation have been supported by the Superintendents of Schools in Tangipahoa and Baker Parishes, Louis Joseph and Lester Klotz. Principal Alexa Hoofkin is supervising the West Hammond Upper Elementary School project, while Jake Ragusa, Technology Director for Tangipahoa Parish School System, is providing technical support for both sites. The project is also linking into higher education for Louisiana with the involvement of Dr. Diane Allen, Dean of the School of Education at Southeastern University. Dr. Allen has identified trainee teachers to oversee implementation of the program, thereby providing opportunities for future educators to think differently and innovatively about the true educational needs of children who will become tomorrow's workforce. The program has been successfully introduced into the Renaissance Village Trailer Park in close collaboration with Rosie O'Donnell's “For All Kids Foundation.” Renaissance Village was built post Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to house individuals indefinitely displaced from their homes inside a trailer community. In light of the scarce recreational, after-school, or on-site educational opportunities available for the children in this community, the “For All Kids Foundation” has secured the placement of an educational trailer inside which Virtue Foundation has housed a mobile cart with Apple laptops and video, camera, and music attachments, allowing for innovative teaching using the Apple system to be introduced to middle- and high school aged children in an after-school setting.   |
| 1040 First Ave. Suite 116 New York, NY 10022 |
877-9 VIRTUE info@virtuefoundation.org |
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