Lake Wales High Receives $1 Million Gift, Providing iPads for Students

An anonymous donor has given $1 million to the Lake Wales High School's technology program in Lake Wales, Florida.

This will completely meet the school's needs, said Robin Gibson, chairman of the Lake Wales Charter Schools Foundation.

"Our plan is when kids hit the doors in August, they will have an iPad to use or take home," Gibson said.

Every teacher also will have a MacBook laptop computer, said Anuj Saran, director of educational operations, and an iPad so they can prepare lessons that work with the students' iPads.

Donna Dunson, who will become principal of the high school in June, said the school will get a STEM lab (a research laboratory for science, technology, engineering and math), new audio equipment and video screens for the gymnasium and flat screen monitors around the school to exhibit students' work and help staff communicate with students on a daily basis.

The only thing the donor has asked for is anonymity. Dunson said she and her staff are honored.

Meanwhile, school leaders are negotiating with Apple Computer for an order of 1,300 iPad 2 touchscreen computers, the latest version of the product, plus additional software, teacher laptops and teacher training. Gibson said the original plan was to have the first-generation iPad, but there aren't enough of those left.

Source: The Ledger