At East Bronx Academy for the Future, laptop computers, digital cameras, and sophisticated software like Apple's GarageBand, are all part of the students' daily tools for learning. "We look at technology as a way to get our students excited about school," said Principal Sarah Scrogin. Opened in 2004, the school shares space with the Academy for Entrepreneurship in a contemporary building located in a congested, commercial neighborhood. Outside, elevated train tracks pass within feet of the school's soundproof windows. Inside, new classroom furniture, modern science labs. and clean, brightly-lit hallways make for a pleasant learning space.
The school's goal is to provide an alternative for low-achieving students who normally would languish in their neighborhood middle and high schools. Most students begin school performing below grade level, and some are over-age for their entry grade, meaning that they were held back in their previous school. A roster of experienced teachers, 70-minute classes to give students more time to digest their lessons, and a lot of technology-driven activities help bolster the achievement of the school's many reluctant learners. Most teachers use computer-generated slides and videos to aid in classroom instruction, while students have regular access to the school's supply of laptops to draft and edit their work.
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