A $25,000 donation made to Dearborn Public Schools for the 2011-12 school year is paying off in the classroom, according to the Dearborn Education Foundation.
The donation from Ford was used to pay for equipment and upgrades at the Michael Berry Career Center's computer lab, which prepares students for high-tech careers in engineering, design and manufacturing.
According to a statement from the DEF, "The select groups of students that go through this program have chosen to pursue high tech fields of study in areas of engineering, various areas of technology, biology and physics."
Teachers in the field lauded the donation as invaluable to their classrooms.
DCMST Computer Science teacher, Kim Shawver, says:
“The new DCMST computer lab has had a tremendous impact on our Computer Science curriculum," teacher Kim Shawver said. "Students now have machines that allow them to code, compile, and run Java programs and applets at a much quicker pace. This equipment has enabled the students to go further and create more intricate applets than ever before.
"This would not have been possible without this new equipment," she added. "We are ever so grateful and look forward to continued success.”
Added science teacher Jeff Whittaker, “Students are now able to search academic databases and compose research papers. Physics and biology students can complete virtual lab experiments that were not possible on the old hardware. Additionally, students have more time-on-task due to the close proximity of the lab to their other classes.”
DPS Supt. Brian Whiston thanked Ford Motor Company and the Dearborn Education Foundation for their work.
“We truly appreciate the partnership with Ford Motor Company Fund and their commitment to providing quality teaching tools to our students," he said. “I applaud the Dearborn Education Foundation for their ability to bring key people and organizations together to support our schools they are an asset to the district."
The Dearborn Education Foundation is a charitable 501(c) organization founded in 1992. Learn more at www.dearbornedfoundation.org, or call their office at 313-827-8790.
