When the Orono Schools decide to extend the Maine Learning Technology Initiative's (MLTI) one-to-one laptop program to their high school students, they knew that they had quite a cadre of experts to help them get up to speed. Since most of the district's high school students had been in the MLTI program while they were junior high students, it made sense to use them as a resource.

So far there are 10 high school students in the school club, known as the Red Riot Geek Squad club. This approach is echoed at schools throughout the state, according to Maine Department of Education spokesman, David Connerty-Marin, who reports that many high schools with one-to-one programs enlist students as "technical brains" to help care for the computers. Not only does this help the district, he says, but it is also a good way to get the kids involved in leadership positions, earning extra credit for their work.

Red Riot Geek Squad members report that they learning a variety of new skills, such as how to tell older students or adults how to use the computer. Most of the teachers are quite happy that the students are providing the skills. "These kids are experts at it," according to Orono High teacher Shana Goodall. "Speaking with one teacher today, he's just ecstatic about the laptops, and he fully admitted he wasn't a big techie but he knows the kids know what to do."

Source: Orono High's 'geeks' help laptop program, Bangor Daily News