Every Hurley High School student received a laptop from the school this year
HURLEY -- It is two weeks into the school year and already Hurley classrooms are significantly different than last year. Thanks to the school's Next Technology Program, every high school student received Mac Book laptops for the school year.
The school also upgraded servers, wireless networks, and smart boards in classrooms.
"We have to give them another opportunity to be engaged, and I think through all of this, that's what really came about," said Hurley Principal Jeff Gulan. "Our students here at Hurley are engaged in every lesson, and they are ready to learn."
The $635,000 project is funded entirely through grant and stimulus money. Teachers like Bob Genisot use the technology daily which he said enhances the learning in his science classes.
"So many things we do in science they're very relevant, they're very topical," said Genisot. "They're things that are happening right now in the world, and to be able to let students go out and research those things and find what's current is tremendous."
Hurley is one of two school districts in Wisconsin and the only high school to give every student a laptop. The program, in many ways, has the school pioneers of educations.
Gulan said it has been a dream of his to put technology in the hands of students in the classroom.
"We're on the doorstep of what the future's going to be," he said. "Actually I guess we're in the door so to speak, but other schools are going to be looking at this and saying, 'How can we make this happen?'"
So far it has been a smooth transition for teachers and students.