What child wouldn’t get excited about a new device?
Thanks to a donation by CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Ohio Valley, Exploration Station now has two more brand new laptops to add to the mobile classroom.
CASA purchased the laptops with funds received from the Owensboro Health Gives Community Grants. “This is a great partnership for us,” CASA Executive Director, Rosemary Conder told Owensboro Living. “Exploration Station’s mission is to reach out to kids in the community by going into neighborhoods and school parking lots after school. We wanted to support their efforts and be involved however we could.”
Since technology is a big part of how Exploration Station serves kids and families, providing laptops seemed like a great way to partner, Conder said.
Burns Elementary School Achievement GAP Coordinator,Wendy Cooper, who is also in charge of the after-school program, has seen the impact of Exploration Station firsthand. “Each week when the Exploration Station pulls into the neighborhood, our students come running to the bus, ready to start their homework. They know they have to put first things first and complete all homework before they can have free time, so they are eager to get started. Laptop time is a great motivator! The laptops aren’t just for free time though. Students are able to practice spelling and vocabulary words, do research for projects and book reports, and practice math skills on the laptops.”
Exploration Station is used routinely throughout the DCPS system and at community events such as Friday After 5. Vicki Quisenberry, Executive Director of the Foundation for Daviess County Public Schools says 10 of the 12 DCPS elementary schools have already asked to utilize Exploration Station next summer to address “summer slide.” Each school has their own approach to addressing the needs of students, and Exploration Station provides another resource.
