Media Relations

Jenny Tinklepaugh
jtinklepaugh@goldenleaf.org
888-684-8404

Home | News & Events | Press Release

Press Release

Golden LEAF Grant provides Chatham County Students with Laptop Computers

(Rocky Mount and Siler City, NC) – December 8, 2008 – N.C. House of Representatives Speaker Joe Hackney and N.C. Senator Bob Atwater joined Golden LEAF and Chatham County Schools representatives in celebrating a Golden LEAF grant to benefit Chatham County high school students.

The $800,000 Golden LEAF grant, awarded at the Foundation’s November 2008 Board of Directors meeting, will provide about 800 ninth-twelfth grade students enrolled in Jordan-Matthews High School with individual laptops.

“We are most appreciative that the Golden LEAF Foundation is supporting our laptop initiative in Chatham County Schools through this generous grant,” said Robert Logan, Superintendent, Chatham County Schools. “The funding will further our ability to prepare our students for the technology requirements of college and the workplace.”

This grant will further the efforts began last year by the NC General Assembly, Golden LEAF, SAS Institute, Department of Public Instruction, New Schools Project and the Friday Institute to develop a strategic approach to technology-enabled learning in North Carolina public high schools. The N.C. 1:1 Laptop Initiative is a public-private partnership that provides computers to students and teachers in school districts across our state, primarily focusing on rural communities.

“The Foundation became involved in the N.C. 1:1 Laptop Initiative to help stimulate student interest and engagement in school, reduce the dropout rate and make learning more relevant to the emerging jobs of the 21st century,” said Dan Gerlach, President of Golden LEAF. “The goal is to provide students with the skill sets needed to meet the demands of a global economy."

Technology has been a focus of the school district because of the importance of meeting the needs of 21st century learners using 21st century tools, according to Logan. Students will receive laptops in early 2009.

"This initiative will put graduates of Jordan-Matthews into the workforce or college with advanced computing skills they wouldn't have otherwise developed," said Speaker Hackney, whose district includes Chatham County. "That's clearly important for their future, but it's also important for the economic strength of this area. Both these students and our businesses are fortunate to have access to such a great opportunity."

Golden LEAF has funded student computers for 10 other school systems in North Carolina which are participating in the demonstration pilot aimed at designing a replicable model for the state of North Carolina. The investment in Chatham County Schools presents a unique learning opportunity as it represents the only district in the pilot where students in the elementary and middle schools that feed into the 1:1 high school will also operate in a 1:1 teaching and learning environment.

"One of the joys of public service is being a part of collaborative efforts between organizations like the Golden LEAF Foundation and Chatham County Schools,” said Senator Atwater, representing Chatham County. “The Foundation has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to technology in education through its grant awards. The $800,000 grant to Chatham County Schools is yet another example. I look forward to seeing the positive impact additional technology resources will have on the students in our high schools. Providing the best possible resources to our students is always a wise investment."

About the Golden LEAF Foundation:
The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to help transform North Carolina’s economy. The foundation receives one-half of North Carolina’s funds from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers and places special emphasis on assisting tobacco-dependent, economically distressed and/or rural communities across the state. The Golden LEAF Foundation works in partnership with local governments, educational institutions, economic development organizations and nonprofits to achieve its mission. The foundation has awarded 748 grants totaling more than $369 million since its inception. For more information about Golden LEAF, or to learn more about applying for a grant, visit www.goldenleaf.org or call (888) 684-8404.

###