From left: Excellence Learning Academy Director Alisha Brookes, Foresee-DigiKidz members Alston Lourens, Kevin “Suppa” Petrona and Jose Sommers together with academy pupils.
PHILIPSBURG--Foresee Foundation generously donated 25 laptops and tablets to Excellence Learning Academy’s Special Education Programme on Thursday.
Foresee said in a press release on Friday that this was the result of an agreement reached between the two foundations regarding the donation of the laptops and tablets through the “Simple Touch, Simple Learn” project.
In 2014 Foresee Foundation started its DigiKidz project bringing integrated technology to several schools, including Hillside Christian Schools, Seventh-Day Adventist School and Methodist Agogic Centre (MAC). Following up on this, a media lab was built in the library, information and communications technology (ICT) conferences were organised for all St. Maarten educators, and in 2017 a start was made with the high school version of DigiKidz, called DigiTeenz, at St. Maarten Academy and Milton Peters College (MPC).
With these projects Foresee Foundation was able to bring an innovative and engaging way of learning into St. Maarten classrooms, thanks to many sponsoring partners and visionary educators.
Foresee said for these reasons it was impressed when it recently met Excellence Learning Academy, which shared its needs in education, and Foresee decided after Hurricane Irma to start a special needs programme for children who need extra support developing their gifts and talents.
“The possibility of providing children with individual learning opportunities through a personal learning device is exactly what the Excellence Learning Academy stands for with its ‘Simple Touch, Simple Learn’ project,” the foundation said. The project aims to empower pupils and show the importance of learning 21st century skills with the use of technology.
“With the 25 tablets, each pupil will be given the opportunity to use their assigned tablets during school hours, which would help them acquire technological skills as they pursue their work,” the release said.
Kevin “Suppa” Petrona, on behalf of the Foresee DigiKidz team, explained the importance of giving back to the community by investing in the young generation. Jose Sommers and Alston Lourens, President and Vice President of Foresee Foundation, shared similar thoughts, being excited to continue their journey in building a strong St. Maarten community by supporting non-profit organisations such as Excellence Learning Academy.
They encourage all non-profit and community-based organisations to register at
NPOwerSXM.com , looking forward to uniting, strengthening and appreciating all the good and unselfish work done by so many.
Excellence Learning Academy Director Alisha Brookes and staff expressed their gratitude for the tablets received and thanked Foresee Foundation as the donating organisation. The academy promised to make sure the laptops and tablets are well utilised and that its pupils truly benefit from using them.
