Microsoft and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) announced the six schools that will participate in a START program (Service and Technology Academic Resource Team). The schools are from California (Winston Churchill Middle School, Carmichael), Mississippi (Tupelo Middle School, Tupelo), New York (Lower Eastside PS 515, NY), North Carolina (East Garner Magnet Middle School), Pennsylvania (Parkway West High School) and Virginia (Forest Park High School, Woodbridge). They have been chosen based on the leadership demonstrated by their students and teachers in the use of technology to revitalize teaching and learning.

According to the Microsoft announcement, START redefines the role of the student in the classroom and creates a new kind of collaboration between students and teachers through technology-focused service learning. Students use their technology expertise to support what happens in the classroom, partnering with teachers to determine where technology best fits into the learning environment. The selected schools will serve as national laboratory sites and as examples of how schools can integrate service-learning and technology into the classroom. On January 25, 2010, they demonstrated their scalable best practices to Karen Cator, director of Education Technology for the US Department of Education.

"We must start thinking differently about traditional teaching and learning models and how we can prepare our students for the future," said Mary Cullinane, director of innovation for U.S. Education at Microsoft. "Combining service opportunities with technology needs in the classroom prepares students with the 21st century skills they need today and in the future."

Microsoft and the CNCA began the START initiative with help from other innovative organizations including GenerationYes!, MOUSE, Students Working to Advance Technology (SWAT), Urban Technology Project and CREATE. Videos from each of the selected schools are available at http://vimeo.com/groups/31547.

Source: Microsoft and the Corporation for National and Community Service Launch New Initiative to Promote Student Leadership in the Classroom