DHS students receive new laptops
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpressonline.com
About 600 Darlington High School students will receive new MacBook Air laptops as part of Darlington County School District’s “1-to-World” initiative, a plan to help students hone their tech-based learning skills and prepare for the future.
DHS sophomore Briona Pourch receives a new MacBook Air laptop to use for schoolwork
“We want them to be truly world-based learners and leaders in the classroom,” says DCSD technology director Diane Sigmon, noting that the program is paid for through a $1.2 million Digital Materials grant from the South Carolina Department of Education.
Sigmon says that in addition to the laptops, every student at Spaulding Elementary in Lamar has use of an iPad, and the program will continue providing students with digital devices in phases until the district’s goal is met.
“Our overall goal is that every student in grades 9 to 12 will have a laptop and every student in grades K through 8 would have an iPad available,” says Sigmon.
Students paid a $15 insurance fee to receive the laptop, charger, and case. Sigmon says the laptops are subject to inspection, and students are responsible for making sure their contents are school-related and permissible under the program.
100 DHS students attended an orientation seminar last Friday and received instruction on how to care for their new laptop, and how it will augment classroom instruction. Students will learn how to make Powerpoint and video presentations, and the laptops will be loaded with class lectures and data, freeing up instruction time for more exciting learning exercises.
Sophomore Destin Lee says the laptops will remove some of the boredom from typical schooldays. “I believe it will make learning interesting at Darlington High School,” says Lee. “We’ve been using them to make Powerpoints, take notes, and do work online.”
“We might even score better on tests and stuff,” adds sophomore Briona Pourch.
