Wind farms in Bloomfield, NE, are bringing a green source of energy to the community — and new and improved technology for the local schools. The valuation of the small school district has increased recently by $122 million due to the income from the local wind turbines. With the new revenues, the school board decided to make improvements to their schools, with one of the first improvements being a four-year lease to provide their 7th to 12th grade students with laptop computers. The total cost for the computers, wireless routers and 24/7 Internet access for the 130 students was $224,000.

Kim Lingenfelter, the K-12 principal, estimates that the program is only costing the district 10 cents per student per day more than their previous technology program. "We do encourage the families to use the laptops, too, and become familiar with them. It is one of the foremost learning tools of the 21st century."

Source: Omaha World-Herald News Service, by Linda Wuebben, Wind blows cash for school