Manatee Students "Talk" Overseas To Sting Band Members in Apple Computer iSight Videoconference

Manatee students use laptop "Eye" from Florida to Newcastele, England in live video conference with Dominic Miller and Kipper of mega rock group "Sting" one hour before their performance on Friday, November 19 at 2 pm EST. Demonstrates innovative way that school district's one-on-one laptop initiative and interactive personal technology tools can give students lasting learning impressions.

Bradenton, FL (PRWEB) November 19, 2004 -- How do two members of the mega rock group STING onstage in England hook up with a group of high school students in Bradenton, Florida?

According to Manatee District Schools Instructional Technology Specialist John Graham, Its as easy as plugging in a laptop".

Thats exactly what will be happening this Friday at 2 P.M. in a live" video conference from Manatee High Schools Media Center to the Telewest Arena in Newcastle, England. Using an Apple Powerbook computer armed with an iSight camera, the schools music students will witness the sights and sounds of the stage just one hour before Dominic Miller and Kipper perform live with STING in front of thousands of fans on their Sacred Love" worldwide tour.

I was able to contact Stings Producer and Keyboardist Kipper after they performed in Tampa last month. Just for kicks I asked if he and Dominic would consider a computer video conference with our students and they agreed," stated Graham.
                                 
The high schools music students have submitted questions to Stings musicians who will randomly select and answer them. iSight cameras set up on stage in England and in the Media Center in Bradenton and will provide the backdrop for the conference.

Dominic and Kipper will be able to see and talk to the students in real time. In turn, well literally be onstage with the band. This is a perfect example of how the laptop initiatives interactive qualities can bring lasting impressions into a classroom setting," stated Graham.

The legendary Sting and his band are noted for hits like Roxanne" and Desert Rose" and have performed to millions of fans around the world since the 1980s.

Manatee District Schools one-to-one laptop initiative has been in the works since 2001. Following the lead of two other school districts across the nation, the district has spent nearly two years in planning the program and has completed a series of pilot projects to ramp up the program. At present, there are 5,229 Apple laptop computers in classrooms at 11 elementary, 3 middle and 2 high schools in the district. Manatee High just received 2,000 laptops this month. Eventually all Manatee County Schools will have the laptop technology available for all students.

Computers are a critical technology tool for our students and this is a perfect demonstration of how this cutting edge initiative can be applied in the classroom," stated Dr. Tina Barrios, Manatee District Schools Supervisor of Instructional Technology.

Funding for the laptop program has come from district capital outlay earmarked for such equipment coupled with Magnet and Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) grants.
            
In the blink of an iSight" camera in a classroom --- across the ocean to England --- its all in a days laptop lesson this Friday for Manatee Highs music students.

CONTACT:
Margi Nanney, PIO
941/708-8770 Ext. 2046
Cell (941) 650-8378

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School Board of Manatee County
P.O. Box 9069
Bradenton, Florida 34206-9069
SCHOOL BOARD: LARRY SIMMONS
CHAIRMAN: WALTER MILLER
VICE-CHAIRMAN: FRANK BRUNNER, BARBARA HARVEY, HARRY G. KINNAN

SUPERINTENDENT: DR. ROGER DEARING

215 MANATEE AVENUE WEST
BRADENTON, FL 34205
TELEPHONE (941) 708-8770
FAX (941) 708-8680