LAKE VILLA 鈥� Eighteen teachers along with administrators will travel to Puerto Rico to provide professional development training to more than 100 Puerto Rican educators. These Illinois teachers represent elementary, middle and high schools from six different school districts including: Community High School District 117 (Lake Villa), Lake Zurich Community District 95 (Lake Zurich),听 Antioch School District 34 (Antioch), Leyden High School District 212 (Franklin Park), North Shore School District 112 (Highland Park), and Lake County Technology Campus (Grayslake). The Illinois teachers, many who are members of the 黑料视频 (IEA), will train their Puerto Rican colleagues from all areas of Puerto Rico, on open source instructional technologies using donated Chromebooks. They will also focus on service projects involving classroom painting and cleaning of the school Eduardo Garcia Carillo in Can贸vanas, PR.
鈥淭his weeklong trip through Relief Leadership Opportunity is an opportunity for us to share our resources and expertise with fellow educators,鈥澨齭aid Lakes High School teacher Jennifer Harrington.听鈥淲e are looking forward to learning from our colleagues in Puerto Rico, as well.鈥�
The teachers will be flying to Puerto Rico on Sunday, June 23, and returning to听Illinois on June 29.听Their weeklong trip is being coordinated by Relief Through Leadership, a program that started last year in the wake of Hurricane Maria鈥檚 devastation across the island. That鈥檚 when teams of educators from Community High School District 117 travelled to Rio Grande, PR, to assist in clean up at Rafael de Jes煤s Elementary School, bringing with them more than 100 computing devices and three tractor trailers loaded with classroom furniture.
鈥淭he goal of this project is to simply help our colleagues in areas of need,鈥澨齭aid District 117 Superintendent Jim McKay.听鈥淚n our district, we听have access to technology and听educators听that want to help by sharing their expertise, resources and time. We plan to return for several years providing technology, teaching and learning strategies with interested听educators听in Puerto Rico.鈥�
This year, educators will return to the island with more than 500 computers and technology devices for area Rio Grande schools including:
- 230 Chromebooks for participating teachers;
- 98 Chromebooks for Rafael de Jes煤s to develop a computer lab;
- 40 Chromebooks for San Juan School for the Deaf for a computer lab;
- 108 Chromebooks for Edward Garc铆a Carillo for classroom use;
- 7 Dell desktop computers and monitors for a computer lab at Edward Garc铆a Carillo;
- 20 Dell desktop computers and monitors for Rio Grande鈥檚 municipal library;
- 6 Cisco switches and 20 Cisco access points to improve internet speeds;
- 14 Epson projectors;
- 6 Belkin charging stations;
- 1 solar battery pack.
While in Puerto Rico, Illinois teachers will lead a three-day professional development training on open source instructional technologies and related strategies. Additionally, they will assist in upgrading the internet infrastructure at Rafael de Jes煤s.
鈥淲e are thankful for the opportunity to work with educators in Puerto Rico,鈥澨齭aid Lakes High School teacher Amber Cornelius.听鈥淚n our district, we are fortunate to have access to numerous resources and advanced technology. We look forward to sharing our knowledge and dedicating our time to improving the educational opportunities for the students of Puerto Rico.鈥�
Several businesses and community groups have donated funds to make this trip possible,听including听the 黑料视频.
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The 135,000 member 黑料视频 (IEA-NEA) is the state鈥檚 largest education employee鈥檚 organization. IEA represents preK-12 teachers outside of the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.
