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Past Extra Credits September 26 All issues

"As an example of the advanced technology becoming increasingly available in schools throughout the country, a western Iowa school was cited with three others during a U.S. Department of Education virtual town hall meeting. Manning High School, about 44 miles northwest of Avoca, represented Iowa during the meeting Thursday afternoon. Schools from Montana, New Mexico and West Virginia were also cited for their contributing work toward harnessing the power of technology to help schools achieve their goals. Also, schools such as Manning were highlighted as a way to cite how technology is a crucial part of meeting No Child Left Behind mandates."

"[U.S. Secretary of Education Rod] Paige, who grew up in rural Monticello, Miss., cited the department's [rural] task force and its commitment to address the needs of this challenge, and that supporting education in rural communities throughout this country is a 'bipartisan effort.'"

"Manning High School provides an opportunity for students to learn upper-level mathematics and foreign languages through videoconferencing via [the Iowa Communications Network]. ... Calculus teacher Brad Benton talked about his hesitancy about the ICN, until he was told he was to start teaching calculus on it. To prepare himself, Benton said he visited a school in west central Iowa, and 'instantly fell in love with the ICN.' 'To provide an opportunity to students they would have never had before was great,' he said."

"Elementary Principal Sam Graeve talked about how its science co-op project, funded through the National Science Foundation, reaches nearly 20,000 students in the state. 'We know from increased student assessment scores that we're making an impact,' Graeve said, adding the additional benefit to teacher professional development training which comes from conservation officers to NASA officials."