Yellville-Summit Elementary School Receives Local Grant Toward Computer Project
October 2000

Yellville-Summit Elementary School will receive financial assistance from the South Shore Foundation to extend the high school and middle school computer network to the elementary school. According to Y-S Elementary project coordinators, Pamela May and Marla Walker, the school may become a model for the use of technology in elementary classrooms. Y-S Elementary will receive a grant of $67,300 from the U.S. Department of Education that will furnish 45 computers and 22 internal scan converters, plus various software. The funds are authorized under the Goals 2000: Educate America Act.

The South Shore Foundation will add a grant of $5,750 for accessories to advance the technology project, including wireless keyboards, DVD players and a laser printer to be shared by the elementary classrooms.

The Y-S Elementary Technology Plan calls for two computers in every elementary classroom for testing student math and literacy levels, creating multimedia presentations using computer software, and students’ creating Web-based materials. One of the computers in each classroom will be used for group instruction with hookups to a TV or video projector. Acomputer will be installed in the Parent Center to allow parents access to view the student’s Web sites, and teachers will be offered a $100 honorarium to develop computer mastery on their own time through the Internet with ACTNow, a Web-based professional development tool.

South Shore Foundation is the charitable foundation of Northern Arkansas Telephone Company. The foundation makes grants to nonprofit agencies to advance education, preserve the environment, develop the local economy, and assist in community betterment. NATCO President Steven G. Sanders chairs the board of trustees of the foundation. For more information or a grant application, call 870-453-3333.