STA expands technology, offers PC Mini-notebooks to students and teachers | by ROSIE HODES

This year, as part of efforts to update the technology at STA, a few teachers and students and will be using PC Mini-notebooks in their classes.

According to STA President Nan Bone, using the laptops is also to relieve the weight of students’ backpacks. Administration chose the specific type of computer because it is small, light, inexpensive  and has a potential eight-hour battery life. Bone said the battery life was one of the biggest factors in choosing a computer because students will not be allowed to charge their laptops during the day.

According to Bone, this year is a test to see if every student will use a mini PC in the future.

Junior Jennifer Blake is one student that will be part of the experiment. She said her mom, science teacher Ms. Renee Blake, volunteered to use a laptop in her class first, and then volunteered to buy one for her daughter. Bone said they have not yet decided if STA will provide the funds for the laptops and reuse them each year, or have students purchase and keep the computers for themselves.

According to Jennifer, there is a chance the laptops will cause distractions during class. To avoid this, there will be a set of textbooks to use in each classroom and students will use electronic textbooks for their homework.