Students Enthused

August 3, 2004

Students enthused about computers

DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN

Hays Daily News

The first day of classes for the 2004-05 school year in USD 489 is nearly three weeks away. But it's a sure bet that Hays High School students will be putting in a lot of class time before then. Seniors showed up at enrollment Monday with enthusiasm, especially when it came to picking up their new Apple iBook laptops. Because of an initiative approved by the school board, every HHS student will have the use of a laptop this year. Hays High Principal Mike Hester said the administration decided to issue the laptops at enrollment so the students would have time to familiarize themselves with them before school starts. The computer technology lease agreement for the school district was coming up this year, and the district made the decision to go with laptops at the high school. "Unless you're doing genetic research, there's not much need for a desktop. It's overkill, especially for what students are using them for," said Brooks Masterson, an Apple account manager from the Kansas City area. Masterson is part of an instructional team at the school this week to teach students and parents about the use and care of the iBooks. Parents of every HHS student were sent a letter with the schedule of iBook classes, which run all day through Friday. There also are night sessions for parents who can't make the day sessions. Barry Sevett, who works for Apple Computer Inc., Olathe, had parents shaking their heads in disbelief as he showed them reports done by students using different programs on the iBook. "This is going to make learning a lot more fun," said Barry Miller, father of incoming HHS freshman Brogan Miller. "I think this is going to especially be good for the kids who don't have computers at home," added his wife, Deb Miller. "Think how that will help them in the future because everything is computer-oriented these days." Jo Dare, mother of two high school daughters, Laura and Megan, said she had a ways to go before she completely understood the new concept. But she wasn't worried about her daughters, who already were planning what they would do with the laptops Monday once they got them home. "Between the two of them, they'll figure this out," Dare said with a laugh. "Oh, yeah, the students will be teaching their parents ... and their teachers," Sevett said. "(Students) have grown up using computers," said Lisa Nikkell, an account executive for Apple who lives in McPherson. "It's different than when we went to school. This is just a contemporary tool to allow students to do their job." HHS teachers got a jump on learning about the iBooks earlier this summer when they attended a two-day seminar at the school to learn about applications and technology integration into their classrooms. "It will take everybody time to learn them, to play with them," said Loren VonLintel, the instructional technology coordinator at HHS who is helping the teachers integrate the technology into their curriculum. "We'll learn what works, what doesn't work." For Adam Arnhold, an incoming freshman, having a computer for his own use whenever he wants, makes entering high school even more exciting. "I'm really looking forward to it," said Arnhold, who picked up his iBook on Monday when his older sister, Ashley, a senior, enrolled. "(High school) will be a little scary with all the older kids, but I think having our own computers will make it a lot more fun." Christine Johnson, mother of Amanda, a senior, and Michelle, a freshman, agreed. "What opportunities for these kids," Christine Johnson said. "I wish I was back in high school so I could learn all this."

Reporter Diane Gasper-O'Brien can be reached at (785) 628-1081, ext. 126, or by e-mail at dobrien@dailynews.net.