With these funds I will...

Connect students to history curriculum by connecting them with the tools necessary to analyze the past and present... TECHNOLOGY!

Background Info:

KIPP Houston High School (KHHS) is the founding high school of the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP), which aims to create classrooms that help children develop the knowledge, skills, character, and habits necessary to succeed in college and build a better tomorrow for their communities. Over the last twenty years, KIPP has honed a sustainable model that is closing the gap between college graduation rates of low- and high-income students. KIPP operates on one essential rule: “There are no shortcuts.” KIPP is unique because this principle permeates each and every level of the organization, including students, parents, teachers, and school leaders.

KHHS serves 579 students, grades 9-12, 96% of whom matriculated from a KIPP middle school.  Our outstanding student body is 98% Black and Latino with 85% qualifying for free and reduced lunch, 5% designated Special Education, and 10% English Language Learners. Despite serving a demographic traditionally underrepresented in higher education, we send 86% of our students to a four year university with five times the national average graduating from college in five years or less. But, we need your help...

The Challenge:

KHHS students do not have regular access to a computer lab at school. Furthermore, due to income constraints, many of our students have difficulty accessing technology at home, let alone purchasing a laptop to bring toschool. In order to make our students' learning experience in history as relevant as possible, we need to connect students with technology in order to build critical thinking skills and increase access to information.

My Solution:

With $8,000 I can purchase a classroom set of refurbished 2nd generation iPads with keyboards, and a cart to charge and transport the iPads so that they can be shared throughout the social studies department. This will allow our students to have regular access to the technology necessary to connect to the most recent and relevant information needed to understand the past in order to analyze the present. With these iPads, students can conduct research, access videos and podcasts to address multiple learning styles, film short documentaries showing their mastery of material, and beyond!

Back Up Plan