Hundreds of Detroit students get laptops to enhance learning

DETROIT (WJBK) - Laptops loaded with apps were given to hundreds of students in the Detroit Public Schools Community District to help them learn in a whole new way thanks to the State of Michigan and the feds.

This year, thanks to a grant from the feds and the Michigan Department of Education, no student will learn without a laptop in front of them. Bagley Elementary and Nolan Elementary-Middle also are getting the high tech treatment.

Novella Daniels isn't just a teacher at Cooke Elementary, she's a member of the community and proud of it. She grew up in the neighborhood and lives just a mile away from the K-8 school.

"Now they will have no excuses. There's no excuse anymore for them to say, 'Well I didn't have,' or 'I didn't know,' because they know and they have," Daniels said.

The total grant money for all three schools was $500,000.

"You will get a better understanding than what a paper and pen can teach you, like you can new, get up to date and a better understanding of what your teacher is teaching you," student Destiny Hawkins said.

Student Davion White says the laptops have fun, educational programs and more kids will like school. Liking it means having tech that looks like the world outside of the classrooms they're learning in, including programs on their laptops like Myon and Excel. This is what a level playing field looks like in school.

"I remind them daily that they have this opportunity and I make sure that I instill in them that not all schools are doing this. We have to make it the best and do the best that we can everyday," Daniels said.