ATLANTA — While families are still trying to negotiate whether or not it's safe enough to allow three children back into a classroom environment, educators have been making sure that their scholars are equipped for whatever lies across the horizon come to the start of the school year.
Since the shift to online instruction at the beginning of the pandemic, families, and scholars have had to rely on their digital devices almost exclusively in order to get their children’s assignments completed.
While it’s great for students to have access or even own such devices as tablets and laptops to do their coursework on, Inspiredu, formerly PowerMyLearning Greater Atlanta wanted to ensure that they were continuing to meet the needs of under-resourced families.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has expedited the urgency of our work, particularly for children in marginalized communities,” says Richard Hicks, CEO of Inspiredu. “Inspiredu aims to serve the community through its Learning Spark Initiative which includes technology-based services for youth and adult learners, family workshops, and STEM education.”
Pre-registered families from two area charter schools, Ivy Prep Academy At Kirkwood For Girls School in the Kirkwood neighborhood and Fulton Leadership Academy in East Point were able to pick up digital devices for their scholars at the Ivy Prep Academy.
The event was set-up as a contactless drive-thru where families received a fully refurbished laptop, a new backpack as well as a few other items for the students. Inspiredu also arranged to provide 1-yr of free tech support for their devices.
Inspiredu, formerly PowerMyLearning Greater Atlanta, the local chapter of the national non-profit PowerMyLearning, recently announced their formation of a new, independent 501c3 non-profit organization.
All members of the PowerMyLearning Greater Atlanta team, including executive staff, team members, and board of directors, will transition to Inspiredu. The organization’s headquarters will remain in Atlanta and the office location is unchanged. In addition, Inspiredu continues to accept unused technology donations and monetary support.
“I loved everything that PowerMyLearning (Inspiredu) was doing and believed so much in what they did that I started to work for them. In doing that, I started as a program coordinator working with the families and bringing the programs to the schools,” says Inspiredu program director, Carmen Saladin.
For more information about Inspiredu, visit their website or for more info about the Ivy Prep, visit their website and Fulton Leadership Academy
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