Senator Murphy's Grant Helps Columbus Elementary Discover New Computers

Thornwood, NY - Although he doesn't consider himself an expert in computer technology, when Senator Terrence Murphy walked into the computer lab at Columbus Elementary School this week he knew he was seeing the future of education. Thanks to Senator Murphy's $10,000 grant, the school was able to purchase 30 new Chromebooks that will enhance their learning experience in advance of the coming school year.

"These students are at the age where they have a thirst for education. Chromebooks are a cutting-edge tool that will feed their minds and imaginations," said Senator Murphy. "We have come a long way from slide rules to laptops to Chromebooks. This is a competitive world. We have to give students every advantage to succeed. I'm happy to have provided funding for the new Chromebooks and look forward to receiving my first lesson in how they work from one of the students."

Principal Michael Cunzio said, "The new Chromebooks will allow our students to gather and share information more easily. They will also provide easier access for teachers to be able to monitor the student's work. We appreciate Senator Murphy's efforts to help our students. The Chromebooks will help us in our foremost goal this year - and every year - to make our student's learning experience at Columbus Elementary School a truly meaningful one."

Principal Cunzio and Assistant Principal Theresa Outhouse gave the Senator and County Legislator Margaret Cunzio a lesson in the advantages of Chromebooks in the classroom. Chromebooks are already dominating in the education space, making up roughly 60% of computers used in schools across the nation. Unlike laptops, Chromebooks can boot up in 8 seconds. They can access apps and documents that are saved on the cloud rather than a hard drive, which means the students do not need to worry about backing up files.
 
County Legislator Margaret Cunzio added, "Chromebooks have been helping students make great strides in their education. Everything is pretty well laid out and intuitive, which makes them the perfect education aide for young people."
 
A part of the Mt. Pleasant School District, Columbus Elementary serves over 470 students from grades 3-5. The School's motto, "Educating all children for the future," is reflected in their commitment to building student's self-esteem, enhancing their creativity and individuality, and developing healthy lifestyles. The school prides itself on providing a safe, nurturing environment for students to have the opportunity to become productive, knowledgeable, and responsible citizens.