About Us
Our Team
Our Impact
FAQs
News
Contact Us
Corporate Programs
Digital Wish Brings 1:1 Computing to Schools Through the eVermont Partnership
Posted by Heather Chirtea at 06:00:52 PM Mon 05/24/2010

Digital Wish is extremely excited to be a partner in e-Vermont, the Community Broadband Project.  Over the coming months we will be working with leaders from participating organizations and exploring fellow 1:1 computing initiatives across the nation. This grant will empower us to bring 1:1 computing to selected classrooms throughout Vermont as a means to strengthen local communities and the state’s economy.

Overall, e-Vermont’s statewide partners will help local groups develop ways to take full advantage of the Internet for job creation, school innovation, providing social services, and increasing civic involvement. Digital Wish will provide essential training so that students, teachers, and parents can use the internet more effectively.  With sets of computers that travel from school to home, internet projects and community engagement will flourish.  When 21st century tools and teaching practices become an integral part of every day, at school and at home, student engagement, motivation, and participation rise across the curriculum.

In addition, by structuring the implementation of the program on the success of Digital Wish’s pilot schools, we will further refine a replicable model for school technology adoption that can eventually be utilized by schools across the nation.

Community, connection, and classroom learning are keys to a successful future, and effective internet use will create a generation of students who will form the basis of a new knowledge economy.

Digital Wish embraces this opportunity to help prepare students for the 21st century workforce and ensure future economic development. We are looking forward to working in classrooms with students, educators, and administrators, as well as with parents and communities. We will share everything we learn, and all the tools we develop, freely through www.digitalwish.org so that all school statewide and nationwide can benefit. We encourage you to contact us with any questions.

For more information about the towns involved and general info about the e-Vermont project please visit http://www.vtrural.org/

We'll see you in the classroom,
 Heather Chirtea
 Founder
 Digital Wish
 (802) 375-6721 ext. 202
 [email protected]

 Eric Bird
 Lead Trainer/Peer Coach
 Digital Wish
 (802) 681-8840
[email protected]



Digital Wish Media Contact:
Jennifer Miller, [email protected]
Digital Wish
PO Box 255
Milton, DE 19968
866.344.7758

e-Vermont Aims at Rural Towns
Posted by Jon Ketchum at 05:05:01 PM Thu 05/20/2010

Digital Wish is proud to be a part of the Vermont Council on Rural
Development team helping to increase community broadband usage
throughout the state of Vermont. Our goal is to effectively manage the
education initiative,  stimulating increased broadband use throughout
the state by implementing 1:1 computing in area schools.

MONTPELIER, VT – e-Vermont is a new $4 million initiative to help
rural Vermont towns take full advantage of the Internet and advance a
wide variety of local needs including economic development, school
innovation, job creation, downtown marketing, community engagement,
and e-commerce.Two dozen communities statewide will be selected to
work with the new e-Vermont Partnership in a comprehensive effort
combining online services, training, access, awareness, and planning.


By reaching the bedrocks of Vermont communities—schools, businesses,
municipal government, libraries, health and social services
groups—e-Vermont will promote new collaborative efforts for
identifying and implementing previously untapped resources and help
our towns fully realize the potential of the digital age.


The e-Vermont project will learn from each of the selected towns and
share these best practices in the uses of digital tools through
symposia and conferences statewide.


e-Vermont is supported by a $2.5 million stimulus grant from the U.S.
Department of Commerce. Additional support comes from the Evslin
Family Foundation, Vermont Community Foundation, the Jan and David
Blittersdorf Foundation, UVM’s Center for Rural Studies, the Vermont
Rural Partnership and by donated services and equipment from Dell,
Microsoft, and Comcast.


Key to this major campaign is the new “e-Vermont Partnership” led by
the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD). VCRD is a non-profit
organization dedicated to the support of the locally-defined progress
of Vermont's rural communities.


In addition to VCRD, the e-Vermont Partnership is made up of the
Vermont State Colleges, the Vermont Department of Libraries, the
Vermont Department of Public Service, Vermont Small Business
Development Center, the Snelling Center for Government, Front Porch
Forum, Digital Wish, Evslin Family Foundation and Vermont Community
Foundation.


Local committees in participating towns will work with VCRD staff and
the e-partners to customize a two year plan from a menu of programs
and services such as:

- e-government - training and consultation on podcasting, on-line
meetings, community scheduling, website development.

- Front Porch Forums that link neighbors to each other and to local services
Computer equipment and enhancement of e-services in libraries.

- Free Netbook computers for 4-5th graders and extensive teacher
training to imbed technology in the curriculum.

- Specialized classes ranging from basic computer literacy to advanced
applications to meet the range of community and business needs.

- e-commerce classes and one-to-one counseling for local businesses.

- Building community calendars, business directories, buy-local maps,
arts and crafts tours, sports schedules, ride shares, and a variety of
new locally-driven digital applications.

- Expanding on-line computer health information and opportunities.

- Expanding the use of web-based tools to facilitate community
engagement and advance locally-designed initiatives.

“The federal stimulus money provides a tremendous opportunity for
Vermonters to ensure that our communities take full advantage of
broadband technology, including advancing the bottom line of our
businesses,” said VCRD Executive Director Paul Costello. 

Vermont’s congressional delegates have been strong supporters of the
e-Vermont concept.  Senator Leahy pointed out: "The impact of
e-Vermont will yield both short-term and long-term community
development benefits, creating new jobs, educating children and using
technology to improve Vermonters' lives."

e-Vermont partners worked closely with Vermont’s stimulus office
through the application process.  According to Governor Douglas, "This
effort is a key part of the SmartVermont strategy. In order to reach
our goals in e-Education, e-Health, e-government, and e-Energy, we
need to remove all obstacles to Internet use for Vermonters. Even when
the problem of access is solved, other challenges like lack of
equipment and training remain.”

Municipal leaders and other local organizations that are interested in
having their towns apply should contact Margaret Gibson McCoy at VCRD
at 802-223-6091 or by email at [email protected].  Details on the
application process are posted at www.vtrural.org.

Digital Wish Media Contact:
Jennifer Miller, [email protected]
Digital Wish
PO Box 255
Milton, DE 19968
866.344.7758

Classroom Connection with Haiti
Posted by Jon Ketchum at 02:56:32 PM Thu 05/06/2010

Written by guest-blogger, Christine Berg

Last spring, after a presentation at a staff meeting about the benefits of service learning in the classroom, I decided to design my own service learning project for my French IV class. I contacted a former French teacher at our school, who is Haitian, about partnering with a school in Haiti. My vision was that we would correspond with them via email and video, and organize a benefit to help them purchase whatever supplies they needed for their school.

I contacted our IT department to find out what video equipment we had available, and they advised me to request the Flip video camera from our librarian. My students and I fell in love with it the first time we used it. It was so easy and fun to use! I immediately decided to use the grant money that I had received for the project from NYSAFLT (the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers) to purchase a Flip video camera for our friends in Haiti. Thus began our correspondence. On January 12th of this year, a massive earthquake hit the exact spot where our partner school was located. We were beside ourselves with worry. We took up a collection at our school and raised $500 for them within a few days. After about a week, we had an email from one of the teachers saying that the school had been destroyed, and the whereabouts of many of the students were unknown. They were going to move their base of operations a few miles out of Port-au-Prince and try to set up a relief center there. We sent them the money we had raised, and set about organizing a benefit where we were able to raise an additional $2800 for them. A few weeks later, we received an email stating that the school was caring for 60 children with the money we had sent. The best part was the attached video (taken with the Flip video camera, which had miraculously survived the quake!) of the children thanking us in French for our support. This was an amazing, life changing experience, and would not have been nearly as meaningful without the Flip video camera.

I have become such a believer in the power of the Flip that I recently convinced our district to purchase one for a student who was selected to study abroad in Russia for a semester through the National Strategic Language Initiative for Youth. She has been sending videos of her experiences in Russia which I have been sharing with my
students. These videos have energized my students and have had a tremendously positive impact on students’ interest in language learning and travel. They have opened a window to the world for them.

The Flip video camera is an incredible tool which can bring people and
cultures together, which is what language learning is all about.

Digital Wish Media Contact:
Jennifer Miller, [email protected]
Digital Wish
PO Box 255
Milton, DE 19968
866.344.7758

Digital Wishes Can Come True!
Posted by Jon Ketchum at 02:17:06 PM Thu 05/06/2010
When Dozier Elementary relocated back to their school plant in August of 2009, goals were set to help the school begin rebuilding by acquiring digital cameras, attaining computers and software and gaining flip cameras for the school.  Through months of work, some of their set goals are surfacing, showing that “digital wishes” can come true!

On Friday, April 23rd, Dozier teachers and students experienced a double surprise for their technology program. The morning began at a faculty meeting when Robert Vincent, President of the 4th of July Association was on hand to donate $1000 to a classroom teacher for technology. Chosen for the classroom donation was 5th grade teacher, Suzette Stutes. The criteria used in the selection was  (a) student use of technology in her classroom the past few years  (b) maintaining an OnCourse web page and her own website (c) a need for updated computers (d) Professional Development (LaTel Course and more). With the donation, three CPU’s were purchased and one flat screen monitor. Dozier Elementary teachers then picked up money amongst themselves and her “Dozier” friends were able to give Stutes an additional five flat screen monitors. With the 3 CPU’s she currently had, the three additional CPU’s and the six new flat screen monitors, Stutes now has a complete set up of six updated computers. In addition to the computers, Suzette Stutes recently learned that she won Digital Wish Novel Writing Grant, which offers $1000 of software. The Tool Factory network license can be used by the entire school.

About an hour later, KATC TV 3 news crew visited Dozier Elementary to share student digital cameras purchased through the “Tools for Schools” program.  Through Borden and Home Bank, the school was given 3 digital student cameras and 2 flip cameras. KATC TV 3 was able to easily purchase the cameras through the Digital Wish Foundation on Dozier Elementary’s website. On hand to make the donation were KATC TV 3 Reporter Tracy Wiertz, cameramen Jude Chiasson and John Melancon. Dale Soileau and Elsie from Borden and Jennifer LeMeunier from Home Bank were all present for the “Schools for Tools” presentation. Lori Porter’s 4th grade and Amy Champagne’s 1st grade classrooms were visited.

With other community and parent donations, Digital Wish has connected parent and community donations as well. With additional cash donations, earmarked for the school, purchased were two more student cameras and accessories for all five new cameras. (Memory cards, bags, chargers and mini tripods.) With the one flip camera already in the school, they now have three flip cameras for student projects and five student digital cameras as well.

Parents have also generously donated both software and cash to the school through Digital Wish. Digital Wish is a foundation that matches schools, teachers and donors.  At this time Stacy Broussard, Lori Porter, Maleigha Viator, Jennifer Toups and Jenny Domingues have received cash donations.  In addition to one parent purchased five computer licenses of “Reading for Meaning” software for Jennifer Toups classes and six licenses for math software for Maleigha Viator’s students.

Principal Karla Toups and Assistant Principal Natalie Hebert and the teachers are appreciative of all donations. They encourage anyone interested in helping to look at the Digital Wish link on their website @ http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/dozier. Tech Specialist and volunteer Stacy Bodin stated “with upcoming budget cuts here, any help with the technology program would be appreciated.” Bodin also stated that “upcoming Teacher Appreciation Week (May 2nd-8th) would be an opportune time use the Digital Wish program to help the teachers.”

With a total of over $4000 of technology items donated to the school since they their launched their Digital Wish/Technology Campaign” in February,  it is obvious that Dozier Elementary now believes that “digital wishes can really come true!”
Digital Wish Media Contact:
Jennifer Miller, [email protected]
Digital Wish
PO Box 255
Milton, DE 19968
866.344.7758

Sherston America Opens Office in the US and Announces New Software Grants
Posted by Jon Ketchum at 07:46:13 PM Tue 04/27/2010
Portland, Oregon, April 27, 2010 — BLi Education Ltd. has expanded its operations to include new offices in the US. Headquartered in Portland, OR, “the opening of our US offices under the name Sherston America will provide innovative educational tools used by thousands of schools around the world to students throughout the US. We look forward to making a difference in the lives of American students, as we have done for more than 25 years in the UK,” says CEO Andrew Foyle.  

With the opening of its offices, Sherston America announces a new partnership with Digital Wish to award 50 software grants to elementary and middle school teachers. The grants will provide 50 recipients copies of either BBC Science Simulations 3 or Alphabet Track to support the integration of technology into science and reading classrooms.  

BBC Science Simulations 3 challenges students ages 9-12 to explore the world of science by running simulated experiments.  After selecting variables and control times, students can view the results of their experiments as animations and/or dynamically generated tables, graphs, and diagrams. ‘Questions’ mode provides a series of focused questions based on the simulation to promote analysis. Students then have the opportunity to manipulate the variables and observe different results. Seven interactive simulations are provided, including: Exercise and Health, Plant Germination and Growth, Food Webs, Forces and Friction, Changes of State, Electrical Circuits, and Light and Shadows. Teacher controls allow you to configure the access to specific simulations, questions, and graphs, as well as enter multi-simulation mode for side-by-side comparisons. Perfect for whiteboards!

Alphabet Track is the second program in the five part On Track series of research-based software designed to teach students the basics of fluency. Award-winning Alphabet Track uses and reinforces the familiar alphabet arc format used by many structured, multi-sensory programs to teach emerging readers and learners with dyslexia. Alphabet Track encourages users to learn the order of the alphabet and to locate and place each letter in the alphabet quickly and consistently. Recording pupils’ or teachers' voices when reciting the alphabet provides auditory reinforcement. Alphabet Track improves visual and auditory sequential memory, encourages concentration skills, and increases keyboard awareness. All products in the On Track series are switch compatible.

To apply for these grants, visit Digital Wish and upload a unique lesson plan idea for the software. Winners will be selected based on need and asked to close the grant by submitting a brief description of their experience with the software. Winners will be selected May 28, 2010. Visit www.digitalwish.org

About Sherston America

For over two decades Sherston has been one of the UK's leading providers of educational software, with content covering every part of the curriculum. Its award winning software and outstanding reputation have been built by providing schools with innovative, engaging products based on sound educational theory. Sherston America is a part of the BLi Education Ltd.  www.sherstonamerica.com

About Digital Wish

Digital Wish is on a mission to modernize classrooms and prepare students for tomorrow's workforce. Digital Wish promotes the early adoption of technology in schools by providing a platform for teachers and educators to develop technology wish lists, share project plans, collaborate on best practices, and purchase technology in a cost-effective manner. By streamlining and targeting the process of giving, Digital Wish allows large and small-scale donors to directly impact their local schools. www.digitalwish.org 
Digital Wish Media Contact:
Jennifer Miller, [email protected]
Digital Wish
PO Box 255
Milton, DE 19968
866.344.7758

Current Issues Class Comes to Life with Flip Video
Posted by Jon Ketchum at 02:26:10 PM Thu 04/22/2010
For nearly 10 years, Bob Wood has spent much of his time outside of the classroom trying to bring new concepts into the classroom. During his summers, Wood travels and studies, conducting interviews and taking notes for his students to analyze and discuss within the scope of history. Recently however, Wood has added the Flip Video Camcorder to his storytelling arsenal.

Written by Digital Wish teacher Bob Wood:

In Senior Current Issues at Oakridge High School in Muskegon, Michigan, we focus on issues of the day. I’ve taught the course since 2000. All things political, international and domestic, natural disasters like Katrina, and this past January the earthquake in Haiti, land in our lap. If the kids feel the urge to get involved - we move. The course also provides us the chance to use Flip cameras for a myriad of assignments. From interviewing local small business owners to “four a year” student video diaries, the Flip serves as a creative tool for class projects. This year Oakridge student efforts for earthquake relief in Haiti and my use of a Flip camera came together quite nicely on a sunny Sunday morning in Selma, Alabama.

The Haiti earthquake moved many high school students around the world to action. An article in the February 5th New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/06/world/americas/06tuberculosis.html?hpw provided us inspiration. Touched by the story of Pierre-Louis Monfort’s tuberculosis clinic, my students began a passionate effort to aid those struggling to survive in Haiti. We sold t-shirts, secured donations and pledges for a 24-hour fast of solidarity with Haitians in need, and invited local high schools to join us. Our cheerleaders wore Help Heal Haiti T-shirts as uniform tops and our basketball team warmed up in them on Fast Night. The entire Oakridge Community joined in. In the end we raised $3,129, which with contacts gained through the Times article, we were able to wire directly to the streets of Port Au-Prince.

The Flip video camera entered the picture the following week. I was in Selma, Alabama for the Bridge Crossing Jubilee, which takes place annually and pays homage to the foot soldiers of the Civil Rights movement. On Sunday morning prior to the Bridge procession when speeches were being made outside on the steps of Brown Chapel, I explored inside the church.  It was quiet and empty except for a handful of people near the back pews having their photo taken with an elegantly dressed man.  They asked if I could take the picture.  I did…and was introduced to Raymond Joseph, Haitian Ambassador to the United States.  I filled Ambassador Joseph in on our fundraiser, that a bunch of kids in a small rural school in West Michigan had fasted for 24 hours and collected over $3,000 for his beleaguered nation, and that we were giving our donations to Mr. Pierre Louis Monfort and his tuberculosis clinic in Port-Au-Prince. Ambassador Joseph too had read the story in the Times.  He was touched by our compassion and conveyed through me a generous message of gratitude to all of my students.  His only regret was that he could not thank them in person. 

Luckily, I always travel with my trusty Flip video camera. I asked Ambassador Joseph if he wouldn’t mind telling them himself. He was pleased to do so…and here it is: See Video!

To be able to bring this thank you message from the Ambassador of Haiti back to my students in Muskegon made our mission complete. With the video, my students and my school were able to truly feel the gratitude for all of their hard work to “Help Heal Haiti.”

To follow our entire Help Heal Haiti campaign please go to bhttp://blogs.muskegonisd.org/bwood/ 

Bob Wood - Oakridge High School Muskegon, Michigan

Digital Wish Media Contact:
Jennifer Miller, [email protected]
Digital Wish
PO Box 255
Milton, DE 19968
866.344.7758

Recycle Electronics for Earth Day and Raise Money for Local Schools
Posted by Jon Ketchum at 02:02:38 PM Thu 04/22/2010
Manchester Center, VT, April 22, 2010- Just in time for the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, Digital Wish and Cartridges for Kids have teamed up to launch Recycle Forward, a national green initiative that raises money for schools by recycling small electronics, cell phones, and ink cartridges.

This Earth Day, we invite businesses, community members, and schools nationwide to sign up at www.recycleforwardnow.org and start recycling electronics to reduce hazardous waste and raise money for our schools’ technology funds to help our children succeed in a global community. Digital Wish also donates an additional 2-10% back to a school after each purchase, making fundraised dollars stretch even further.

How does the program work?  Anyone can register for free at recycleforwardnow.org to start a campaign for local schools.  Step-by-step instructions and print-ready marketing materials are available online for an easy-to-implement campaign.  If you are a business, simply place a drop box in your lobby and encourage employee participation.  Individuals can ask local businesses to do the same and collect items for the campaign.  Free shipping labels can be printed online, making it simple to send in your collected items. Fundraised money will build in an online account to distribute to classrooms of your choice.  Your favorite schools will be able to use the funding on Digital Wish to purchase brand new classroom technology.

Recycle Forward is a unique opportunity for businesses and individuals to contribute to their favorite schools’ technology funds while reducing electronic waste and spreading eco-awareness. Anyone can register for free and run a Recycle Forward campaign.  Sign up today at www.recycleforwardnow.org.

About Cartridges for Kids
Cartridges for Kids is a recycling program that pays schools cash for cell phones, laser/inkjet cartridges, laptops, digital cameras, iPods, PDAs, video games & consoles, DVDs, and GPS devices.

About Digital Wish
Digital Wish is on a mission to modernize classrooms and prepare students for tomorrow's workforce. Digital Wish promotes the early adoption of technology in schools by providing a platform for teachers and educators to develop technology wish lists, share project plans, collaborate on best practices, and purchase technology in a cost-effective manner. By streamlining and targeting the process of giving, Digital Wish allows large and small-scale donors to directly impact their local schools. www.digitalwish.org

Program Contact: Lindsay McFillin, Development Manager
E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 802-375-6721 x209
Digital Wish Media Contact:
Jennifer Miller, [email protected]
Digital Wish
PO Box 255
Milton, DE 19968
866.344.7758

Student Letters Inspire Local Businesses to Give
Posted by Jon Ketchum at 05:02:21 PM Wed 04/07/2010

Written by Jon Ketchum

In less than one month, fifth grade teacher Stacy Yetzer campaigned for $500 in community donation through Digital Wish. To help spread awareness for her classroom campaign, Yetzer worked with students to craft, stamp and mail hand-written letters to local business owners in Kersey, PA.

For nearly a decade at Fox Township Elementary, Yetzer has been committed to teaching students how to take ownership of their knowledge. As the facilitator of the classroom, Yetzer says that she continually strives for an equal balance of student and teacher participation.  

“Finding a balance is difficult but I think once you do, it's well worth it for the kids,” Yetzer said. “By showing them that I am willing to work with them and be one of them, they open up and really give me what they're capable of.”  

Yetzer often turns to technology to enhance independent student study and peer evaluation. Since receiving an interactive whiteboard, Yetzer says that she has been on a mission to put more technology into her classroom.

“I haven't had my Promethean Board for too long, but hands down this is the best asset we have in our classroom,” Yetzer said. “So I navigated through Digital Wish and read the instructions on how to actually start accumulating money for more technology.”

Soon after, Yetzer decided that she was going to ask her students to participate in a letter writing campaign. When the students realized that their letters could turn into classroom tech, they jumped at the idea.

“We started the campaign as an in-class writing activity,” she said. “We brainstormed ideas around the technology that we wanted and then we wrote rough drafts and edited them before we sent them out.”

Just two weeks after the letters landed in local mailboxes, Yetzer and her students started receiving donations. In total, the 19 letters sent inspired local business to give 4 cash donations and 2 product donations totaling $500 in funding. They raised nearly one donation for every three letters they sent.

“I found that the businesses that donated to us really appreciated the student's attempt and effort in writing letters,” Yetzer said. “I also had several business owners tell me that they appreciated the fact that the students added comments about our classroom and how their money would be used.”

Through the success of her campaign, Yetzer was targeted by her local PTO to speak at the next board meeting. According to Yetzer, Fox Township's PTO is looking to get more teachers involved in Digital Wish. Through the meeting Yetzer is also hoping to introduce the idea of PTO contributions to Digital Wish classroom campaigns at Fox Township Elementary.  

“I have volunteered to help get the other teachers in our school on board through Digital Wish because it has worked for me,” she said. “It's a huge help, people truly don't understand the different costs a school has and how much we try to do with what we have."

Digital Wish Media Contact:
Jennifer Miller, [email protected]
Digital Wish
PO Box 255
Milton, DE 19968
866.344.7758

1 ... 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | ... 28

Archive
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008


Subscribe