24 Sep 2009
The Young Explorer Initiative is Also Sponsored by Head Start of Greater Dallas
DALLAS–The Dallas Independent School District will receive a grant of more than $100,000 from IBM as part of a donation of 50 Young Explorer computer learning centers for its preschool programs. The donation will be awarded during a news conference scheduled at 10 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 1, at Seagoville Elementary School, 304 N. Kaufman St.
The grant is part of a $2 million nationwide initiative by IBM to provide 1,000 computer learning centers and teaching curriculum to schools and nonprofit organizations that provide services to areas with more than 40 percent Hispanic population. The news conference is being held in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month in Dallas ISD.
Program participants include Terry Steele, Manager, IBM Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs; Tammy Richardson, Chair-Board of Directors, Head Start of Greater Dallas; and Dallas ISD Superintendent of Schools Michael Hinojosa.
After the news conference, students from Seagoville Elementary will use and demonstrate the Young Explorer centers.
The IBM KidSmart program includes the Young Explorer computer, a computer housed in brightly-colored, kid-friendly Little Tikes furniture and equipped with award-winning educational software to help children learn concepts in math, science and language. It also comes with teacher training and classroom curricula.
IBM launched the initiative as part of its commitment to generate interest in math and science for all students and to ultimately increase the number of people entering into science, math and technology careers. In the United States, the Hispanic community is expected to constitute 25 per cent of the overall U.S. population by mid-century, making the U.S. home to the largest Hispanic population in the world.