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I stood hovering above 3 young Hispanic boys watching them closely while they practiced their reading on a tablet. I was struck by so many things in that moment.
1. The learning gap that can occur over the summer months can put a child behind at the start of the next school year, but here sit some adorable kids doing extra reading work over the summer to keep their skills sharp
2. I was struck by how engaged they were with the tablet. Sitting still. Reading aloud. Concentrating. Not fidgeting and squirming like a typical young boy would be on a hot summer morning when they’d probably rather be outside or watching cartoons.
3. I was thrilled to see how they are learning to read and practice the language skills that form the foundation for learning throughout their school years.
4. I was thankful for the teachers who were taking time out of their summer to give these children some additional exposure to reading and the chance to improve their comprehension skills. And that even though the teachers confessed to not being very tech savvy, they were in fact just that: tech savvy. They even helped these students create their own e-books!
5. A school board member shared that they spend $70 million on text books. I couldn’t help but think that technology could revolutionize classrooms and allow much of that $70 million to be used elsewhere.
Who knew I would learn so much just by standing and watching some young kids read on a Wednesday morning during their summer break?
To view vital speeches given by our authors, visit our speeches page.
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Kathy Brown
S.V.P., Public Policy Development and Corporate Responsibility
Kathy leads Verizon's global corporate responsibility initiatives and policy development. She also oversees the Verizon Foundation.
James Gowen
Chief Sustainability Officer/
V.P. of Services Operations
James oversees Verizon’s supply chain, vehicle fleet, investment recovery, purchasing and materials management and sustainability initiatives.
Rose Kirk
President, Verizon Foundation
Rose leads Verizon's philanthropic strategy with an emphasis on projects that demonstrate the use of Verizon's technology in addressing social issues such as education, domestic violence prevention and online safety. The Verizon Foundation is one of the 15 largest corporate foundations in America.
Jack McArtney
Director of Corporate and Community Responsibility
Jack promotes digital wellness and online safety. He works with parents, educators, service providers, application developers and industry leaders to foster responsible use of Verizon's mobile and broadband networks.
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