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Sunday, September 13, 2009

Weekend: Pandora-Gilboa, Verizon team up for 'The Socrates Project'
Fruth's Sugar House Greenhouse
By DENISE GRANT

Staff Writer

PANDORA -- While most high schools have policies and punishments for students who use their cell phones in class, Pandora-Gilboa High School is outfitting a classroom of students with the new BlackBerry Storm Smartphone, as part of "The Socrates Project."

The project and proposal to Verizon Wireless is the brainchild of Gene Lloyd, a high school technology teacher.

The Storm, which gives mobile users access to e-mail, phone, data, applications, games and the Internet, is the perfect fit for a class that teaches students to ask the "how, how to and why questions," according to school officials.

Students in the "Tech for the 21st Century" will have use of a fully connected BlackBerry Storm for the school year.

Laura Merritt, a spokeswoman for Verizon Wireless, said mobile technology is driving the marketplace of the future. In that global marketplace, workers are given more responsibility and are expected to contribute more to productivity and innovation. It also requires flexibility in dealing with complex problems.

School officials say students need to understand the "anywhere, anytime, at any pace" platform and its use in entrepreneurial skills, research, communication, collaboration and presentation skills.

So valuable, in fact, that President Barack Obama argued to keep his BlackBerry when elected.

Merritt said teens take to the technology like "fish to water. It is really quite amazing to watch. Give these phones to a teen and even younger, and they will figure out every aspect of the phone, very quickly."

Merritt likes to call the Blackberry Storm a "virtual Swiss Army knife."

The Socrates Project at Pandora-Gilboa High School is the first of its kind to be sponsored by Verizon Wireless in Ohio.

"We took a look at the proposal from the school and we said, 'Yes, this makes a lot of sense. It is a great fit. The kids these days are so savvy it's scary,'" said Merritt.

She said students will be free to explore all the phones' features, unless the school places restrictions.

"We certainly didn't want to put restrictions on the phone from our end," Merritt said.

But it's not only the schools that are catching on to the new format. Merritt said women in their 40s and 50s are the fastest growing segment of people new to texting.

"If you think about it, those are probably moms who have figured out that if I want to keep in contact with my child, I better figure this out," Merritt said. "And if you ask them who taught you to use the phone, they'll tell you 'My kid did.'"

Verizon Wireless also offers a Web site dedicated to students, parents and teachers at: www.thinkfinity.org.

This free Web site offers educational resources across eight disciplines and are align with Ohio's state academic standards.

"While it was started to help teachers bring subjects to life via technology, particularly in hard economic times, free, high-quality educational resources are something school systems are always hungry for," said Alberto Canal, another spokesperson for the company.

On The Net:

www.pg.noacsc.org



Grant: 419-427-8412,

Send an e-mail to Denise Grant
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News Briefs Work scheduled on Findlay streets
Findlay's Main Street, northbound, will be reduced at times to one lane between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. for waterline connection.

Main Street will not be accessible from East Lincoln Street. Lincoln Street will be closed to through traffic from South Main Street to South Blanchard Street from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for continued improvement work. Access to local businesses and residents only will be maintained.

Recount planned in trustee's race
OTTAWA -- After certifying election results on Wednesday, the Putnam County Board of Elections has announced a recount will be required for the Union Township trustee race, according to Deputy Director Shelly Burkhart.

The recount will be completed on Wednesday at the county elections board office, 336 E. Main Street, Ottawa.

Incumbent Daniel R. Ellerbrock has secured his position on the board, earning 685 votes. However the remaining trustee spot will require a recount as Gery P. Wurth earned 598 votes and Mark J. Kahle collected 601 votes, according to official results.

An automatic recount is necessary if the margin is within one-half of 1 percent of total votes cast, according to state law.

Road to be closed
Forest Lake Drive, between Marion Township 237 and Indian Lake Drive/Forest Lane, will be closed today for a pipe installation.

The road is expected to open by 5 p.m., weather permitting.

Motorists are advised to use Township 242.