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BH Sunrise Rotary Teams Up to Provide iPad Minis to Countryside Academy

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In light of ever-increasing evidence that fun, literacy-related activities help advance student learning, the Benton Harbor Sunrise Rotary Club will press into action some of the money they have been fundraising for to present the students of the Countryside Academy Early Learning Center at Millburg with new iPad Minis to boost those efforts.

Teaming up with Toys for the Needy and corporate contributor the Getman Corporation, the team from Rotary will turn out at 4:15 Tuesday afternoon for the presentation at the Countryside Academy Early Learning Center at 482 North Street in Benton Harbor.

They have all teamed up to purchase iPad minis for students at the Academy.  Both the Rotary club and Toys for the Needy are committed to supporting early childhood literacy for the children of the Benton Harbor area.  They are partnering with Countryside Academy in this initial program to support students who may be lacking in one or more reading readiness skill.  These students will be identified by the Countryside reading specialist.

Studies show that students gain needed understanding of the alphabet (letters represent the sounds of language), print concept (printed text represents spoken words), phonemic awareness (ability to distinguish and manipulate individual sounds of language) and the ability to distinguish shapes through fun and engaging literacy-related activities. The teachers and reading specialists will select computer applications specifically targeted support the development of those skills that each individual student needs to become a successful reader.

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This semester the Sunrise Rotary folks are providing a total of eleven tablets with software and durable cases to the Academy.  Each tablet becomes the property of the student with an agreement from the parents to send it to school with their student each day.  At the end of the year it’s theirs to keep.

The team at Rotary hopes to be able to expand the program going forward after the study the results this year.