Education notebook
Comcast opens 3 free Wi-Fi centers
Comcast Corp. has opened three new Xfinity Wi-Fi-connected “Lift Zones” in central Arkansas to support low-income students, families and others affected by the covid-19 pandemic.
Lift Zones are Wi-Fi hotspots placed in safe community spaces, enabling students to get online, participate in distance learning and do their homework.
Many sites also serve adults, connecting them to online education, job searches, healthcare information and public assistance. The initiative provides free internet connectivity inside community centers and access to hundreds of hours of content.
The newest Lift Zone locations are the Dalton Whetstone Boys and Girls Club, 46 Harrow Drive in Little Rock; the Penick Boys and Girls Club, 1201 Leisure Place in Little Rock; and the Wetherington Boys and Girls Club, 1212 Jim Wetherington Place in North Little Rock.
In October 2020, Comcast announced a multiyear program to open more than 1,000 Xfinity Wi-Fi-connected Lift Zones in community centers nationwide.
Author, NBA alum featured at forum
Ruby Payne, educator and author best known for the book “A Framework for Understanding Poverty,” will be the keynote speaker at a Sept. 30-Oct.1 conference in Little Rock.
Payne’s topic will be “Emotional Poverty in All Demographics.”
In other sessions, retired National Basketball Association player Sidney Moncrief will speak on “Taking Ownership of Creating a Better World.” Education expert Tammy Pawlowski, will speak on “Myths and Misconceptions: Why Poverty Matters and Why Schools and Teachers Can Matter More.”
“We want to empower educators with research-based practices and industry-proven resources,” said Arkansas State Teachers Association Executive Director Michele Linch. “Then, they can take these tools back to their classrooms and lead at their schools.”
The Arkansas State Teachers Association, Bright Futures USA, The Reform Alliance and the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education are hosting the conference.
Early registration until Aug. 31 comes with a discounted rate of $50, a complimentary Student Focused Teacher Led T-shirt and a copy of Payne’s book “Emotional Poverty in All Demographics: How to Reduce Anger, Anxiety and Violence in the Classroom.”
Beginning Sept. 1, registration will cost $100. Registration is available at https://sftl. me/conference/.
UALR offers camp to create tour app
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host a virtual reality summer camp Aug. 2-6 for junior high and high school students to learn to create a virtual tour app.
The one-week camp, to be on the university campus from noon to 5 p.m, is the work of the university’s Emerging Analytics Center. Students will spend a week creating a virtual reality tour for the Oculus Quest or Oculus Quest 2.
“The new Oculus Quest 2 is a popular ‘toy’ for a lot of people today,” said Sandra Leiterman, managing director of the Cyber Arena. “Our thought is rather than buying games and passive simulations, we want to teach kids how to create their own content for the Oculus. In a technology-driven world, it’s important to harness the creativity of our young generation that will hopefully lead them into future careers within artificial and mixed realities.”
Access to a Facebook account is required to build Oculus content. Students may bring their own Oculus device, borrow one from the Emerging Analytics Center or purchase one from the university to take home at the end of camp.
The cost of the camp is $100 if students bring or borrow an Oculus device or $450 with the purchase of the Oculus Quest. Registration is here: https://bit.ly/3y1rAle.
Willis in new role at Lighthouse HS
Kimberly Willis is the new principal at the Jacksonville Lighthouse Academies High School.
Willis previously served more than eight years as principal at Maumelle Charter School.
In her new role, Willis will teach one of the social justice classes as part of Arkansas Lighthouse Academies’s Social Impact Initiative implementation.
Willis has bachelor’s degrees in psychology and another in secondary education and teaching, both from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She also holds a master’s degree in human resource management from Webster University.
“Ms. Willis is an expert in academic development and identifying and implementing opportunities for institutional growth,” said LaShawnDa Noel, executive director and superintendent at Arkansas Lighthouse Academies. “Her leadership skills paired with her commitment to creating valuable experiences for our scholars will be indispensable to our Jacksonville school and our mission to empower our scholars through high-quality instruction and unique academic curriculum.”