Pencils and papers are becoming a thing of the past in Columbiana.
Starting this year, the school district issued every high school student their own personal netbook computer. Now, almost every class is incorporating the technology into their daily lessons.
"It's definitely a big time saver and it also makes it a lot easier to use the internet to find sources. Or do things that I need to find info on rather than going to the lab and getting on a computer there and trying to use that when I have it with me and I could look it up at any time," said Columbiana High School junior Angela Grate.
But the netbooks aren't just helping students and teachers in the class. They're also gaining the school national recognition.
According to U.S. News & World Report, Columbiana High School is the 7th-most connected school in the nation. It started as a pilot program three years ago, with every senior getting a computer.
"We found there were some real benefits as far as organization, as far as electronic submission, and just overall efficiency and how the class was operated," said Jason Martin, Columbiana High School technology coordinator. "So students can actually recieve every PowerPoint, every lecture that a teacher puts out there for them and then on the other hand students can do assignments, take tests and they can submit it all through a network share."
School district officials said they shifted their costs to afford 350 netbooks and support systems.
"We looked at our printer costs. We've been able to purchase fewer workbooks, textbooks and so forth," Martin said.
Now almost every class, regardless of subject matter, is incorporating the technology.
"In our math class, we have this program on our laptop that shows us a basic calculator. We can just follow along with the teacher right there in front of us that does the same exact thing on the board," said junior Connor Richardson.
"This year in AP government, it's much easier because I can take it out at anytime and I can use it for any of the projects and I can get all the info I need," Grate said.
The district is working on a feeder program at the middle school, where they placed 50 netbooks in six classrooms.
"Thanks to the Columbiana Board of Education, Columbiana students will be among the most technologically prepared students to enter college and the work force. We are very proud of this initiative and our teaching staff has been outstanding as they too have embraced the technology now available to all of our kids. We are very excited about the opportunity to be the only district in the tri-county area to provide all of our students with this great tool for learning," said Superintendent Donald Mook in a press release about the netbook program expanding to all high school students.
