Ohio's Information Technology Centers Take District Technology Support to the Next Level

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With support from the Management Council, seven Information Technology Centers partnered with the non-profit Generation YES to launch the GenYES program in 22 schools from 17 districts to create Student Technology Leaders across Ohio. Ohio's new GenYES districts will send over 55 facilitators and students to a GenYES Summer Camp where they will learn the technology and soft skills necessary to become Student Technology Leaders to help support their classrooms.

The GenYES program prepares teams of Student Technology Leaders (STLs) in grades 3-12 to work with educators, peers, and IT staff to integrate technology in ways that improve student learning. Students in the program participate in real-world experiences that develop the technology and people skills necessary to assist with EdTech challenges in the classroom. They learn to create content, mentor others, and develop professional working relationships with their teachers through the GenYES program.

"We are excited to be the catalyst to expand this program throughout Ohio," stated Geoff Andrews, Management Council CEO. "Classrooms that have Student Technology Leaders allow teachers to remain focused on teaching, and students focused on learning, by giving students the knowledge and skills to remove some of the most common technology challenges teachers face on a daily basis."

As the technology backbone for Ohio's PreK-12 schools, coordinating the GenYES program through Information Technology Centers is a natural fit. LACA, LGCA, OME-RESA, NEONET, NOECA, NWOCA, and SPARCC met with their schools and GenYES to develop customized implementation plans with measurable goals and objectives. The GenYES program features a blended-learning curriculum with 17 units of study driven by a "learning by doing" philosophy; think, learn, and do.  

"GenYES's mission is to overcome K-12 technology integration challenges by preparing students to join educators in the school transformation process," noted Dennis Harper, Generation YES CEO. "We do that by meeting one-on-one with each school, targeting their needs for technology transformation, and tailoring the program to meet those needs."

The first GenYES Summer Camp kicks off in Cambridge, Ohio on August 5-6, 2019 followed by the second Summer Camp in Canton, Ohio on August 8-9, 2019. Facilitators and students will gain first-hand experience of the GenYES program to share with fellow students participating in the program this fall.

Contact: Jessica Madison, Management Council
Phone: 614.840.9810
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE The Management Council