LIVE BLOG -Centennial Hall Hosts Laptop Giveaway Tonight

Wednesday, 17 February 2010 22:57

7:42 p.m.

The laptops are still being given out but the emcee told everyone to go ahead and take off once they got theirs.  Lots of tears and smiles to go around.  In order to avoid the craziness about to ensue, I'm going to leave now as well.  That's a wrap from Centennial Hall.  Take care.

7:26 p.m.

It's about to be pandamonium.  These kids are excited about their laptops. It's going to be crazy.  I'm going to try and squeeze down there and get some pictures. 

7:25 p.m.

Here is some audio regarding the Dropout Prevention Program.  The distribution of laptops is set to begin.

7:15 p.m.

Isquierdo is back, talking about the newest item in Project Graduation, a dropout recovery porgram.  Isquierdo plans do go out and bring back students who have dropped out in this plan called Donde Estas? Steve Holmes, who I spoke to earlier, is now on stage talking about this program.  Holmes feels that students are leaving because the system has failed them and that's not acceptable.

7:08 p.m.

Couple things: 1.) I believe the previous post works, which means I'm a genius despite being a remedial with technology. 2.) Lisa Lovallo, Vice President of Cox Communications, is talking to everyone about Cox's affilitation to the project.  They set up these kids with internet and have donated over $100,000 to this program.

7:05 p.m.

Hopefully this works, here is some audio from Dr. Isquierdo's speech.  Consider this a test.  

6:53 p.m.

Desert View's dance group, NxT Level, just gave a short performance for the crowd.  The group will be taking part in a national competition next month.  Now it looks like we are going to hear from some of the principals of these schools.

6:44 p.m.

Grijalva has talked about the past and the future and turning things around and giving "this old man a breath of relief" as far as our future is concerned.  Also touched upon subjects of the digital divide, the great things Sunnyside is accomplishing and how it has become a national model of how to do things the right way.

6:32 p.m.

Congressman Raul Grijalva just stepped up to the stage to discuss the great things going on in the district.

6:20 p.m

Aguirre just introduced Dr. Manuel Isquierdo, the superintendent of SUSD of whom Project Graduation is the brain child.  Looks like a little video presentation giving a preview of the program before he comes out live.  And here he comes, to the theme from "Rocky" - of which he states is important because this district is fighting to show they aren't the District of the past.  And a roar comes out from the Sunnyside students as they are announced.

6:15 p.m.

Louie C.Gonzales, President of the Governing Board, is speaking now and introducing/thanking other members of the board and the sponsors. 

6:10

Lisa Covington just sang a heart-rendering version of the National Anthem.  I believe she is a student at one of these high schools.  Whoever she is, sign her up for American Idol.  Sent chills down my spine.  Raul Aguirre of REA Communications is the emcee.  Richard Fimbres of the Tucson City Council recorded a video for the students to congratulate them since he could not be here tonight.

6:02 p.m.

The Master of Ceromonies has just come out.  Everything is being delivered in English and Spanish, just to give you an idea of the population here.  President Shelton and the University were just given a shoutout for their support of all this. 

6:00 p.m.

Steve Holmes, Director of Language Acquisition and Devlopment just addressed the crowd, letting students who forgot their "Golden Ticket" know they are not out of luck.  "The Final Countdown" just started playing and the lights are dimming.  Looks like we are getting underway.

5:59 p.m.

Just about 84% of the population in the SUSD qualifies for free or reduced lunches.  This is bridging more than a gap in education, it's bridging a gap in society.  The Digital Divide between the upper class and those less fortunate is constantly growing.  In a world where technology is quickly becoming everything, it creates some severe issues for those who don't have access to it.  SUSD is addressing this issue tonight.  Most of these nearly 500 students could never have supported a laptop otherwise.

5:51 p.m.

While I have a little bit of a break from running around and going crazy, let me give you some Sunnyside School District Numbers: 

More interesting, however, is the fact that 94.4% of the students in the district qualify as a minority – 87.7% of which are classified as Hispanic.  The district is abundant in bilingual students rich in culture, intelligence and talent and this blog will serve to chronicle some of those stories. 

5:45 p.m.

Arlet Galvez, 15, of Sunnyside High School is here with her family.  Even as a freshmen, Arlet wants to come to the UA to study Engineering.  She says this laptop will go a long ways to helping her towards that goal. "This is big for her and this family.  In these times it's hard to provide a computer for her so this will help a lot with her schooling," says her father, Jose Molina.

5:39 p.m.

I have made it inside of the Hall now and they weren't kidding about the crowd.  This place is packed.  Desert View's mariachi band just wrapped up on stage, and now the crew from Sunnyside is up there.  I've tried talking to a few students.  It's humorous how shy some of these 14 and 15-year-olds are with a microphone in their face.

5:23 p.m.

Now Sunnyside is playing a little "Land of 1000 Dances" of their own.  The crowd is lovin' it.  Everyone's getting excited and it's probably going to be epic once this baby gets rolling.

5:23 p.m.

Even though this is a celebration of the whole district, we now have the Sunnyside High School band here.  The two bands are taking part in a "Band War" of sorts.  Desert View is playing a little "Land of a 1000 Dances" while Sunnyside just finished up the UA gem, "Band Yell".  Even at a celebration of all things SUSD, there is a little rivalry going on.

5:20 p.m.

My title may be a little misleading, but the laptop giveaway is a literal giving away of laptops.  Nearly 500 freshmen in the SUSD are being awarded for their hardwork in the classroom with a free laptop tonight.  It's not like a lottery giveaway.

5:12 p.m.

The band is rocking out now as more and more people are crowding the patio in front of Centennial Hall.  The Desert View High School is rocking out.  Lots of merriment and merth going on.  We are talking about a district that was just two years ago listed as a "drop-out" factory to celebrating a high occasion such as this.  It's quite impressive

.5:08 p.m.

For those who don't really know about the district's digital advantage program, you can get a quick rundown from the SUSD website or an even quicker review on my own blog here.

5:00 p.m.

So it took me forever to find a break, but we have a packed house here tonight for the SUSD laptop giveaway.  The rough estimate is that around 5000 people - students, family, faculty, the works - are going to be in attendence tonight.  The band from Desert View High School is currently warming up and students from all the high schools are rolling up in busses.  Cheerleaders, Mariachi groups, the works.  This is a big time deal.

Tonight, Jeremy Hawkes will be live-blogging from The University of Arizona Campus around 4:30 p.m. covering a laptop giveaway to students from the Sunnyside Unified School District.

SUSD will be giving away nearly 500 laptops this evening to freshmen achieving academic and extracurricular success during the Fall semester.  The giveaway will take place at Centennial Hall on the UA campus beginning around 5:30 p.m.  Congressman Raul Grijalva will serve as the guest speaker.  Follow along live here at Border Beat.

Written by Jeremy Hawkes You are reading LIVE BLOG -Centennial Hall Hosts Laptop Giveaway Tonight articles