The Golden LEAF Foundation Board of Directors voted Aug 6 unanimously to provide a grant of $196,629 to Tyrrell County Schools in District 1 to provide Google Chromebooks to 193 students at Columbia Early College/High School and professional development for the teachers on the best use of the technology for teaching and learning.

For the last several years, Golden LEAF has provided funds to school districts seeking to use a technology device for each student (1:1) to help improve teaching and learning.

“The Foundation has invested considerably in research as to what works, including the need for professional development and clear deployment plans.   Golden LEAF staff worked closely with Tyrrell County Schools leadership to ensure that these lessons learned were taken into account, and will help those students in a small, remote school district have access to cutting-edge technology,” said Dan Gerlach, Golden LEAF president

Marcia Manning, principal at Columbia High School stressed the need for opportunities for area students.

“This initiative will empower us to shift the responsibility of learning to our students, teaching them skills they will need in the workplace and to be successful in post-secondary education. This will transform teachers into facilitators of learning as they will be trained to give students authentic work from a global perspective in preparing them to become knowledgeable citizens,” says Manning in the grant proposal description.

Manning said that having available laptops will help students and teachers gain relevant work experience.

“Training, spanning a three-year timeframe will be provided for all instructional staff to ensure that technology become the vehicle for curriculum delivery, and that students become knowledgeable in using global online resources to facilitate their learning,” she says.

Other Golden Leaf grants awarded in Tyrrell County in the past have included a June 2, 2011 grant for $294,234.00 awarded to Martin-Tyrrell-Washington District Health Department for a Tyrrell County Dental Clinic, and another Golden LEAF grant awarded on the same day for $360,000.000 to the Tyrrell County Rural Health Association for expansion of the Columbia Medical Center.