The Rotary Club of Blanco County, in partnership with the Blanco Education Foundation, recently awarded the Blanco Middle School (BMS) $8000 for purchase of a bank of 25 new laptop computers and a mobile cart.
The average ratio of students to computers is 2 to 1. The 25 new computers purchased through this grant will improve the student to computer ratio. This is a major step in achieving the BMS goal of providing 1 computer per student.
The computers and cart will allow more students to work on web based programs each period. These programs have proven to help low performing students increase their skill level. They also provide assistance to students who are economically disadvantaged and may not have access to a computer or internet at home. Finally, the computers also help students who are not native English speakers improve their language skills and learn necessary vocabulary that they do not currently have.
The Rotary Club of Blanco County was formed as an independent Club last May. Its Mission is: to provide service above self. It accomplishes that Mission through service projects in Blanco County. Among those are projects supporting each of the Blanco Independent School District’s campuses, providing needed medical information of citizens in Johnson city area and Blanco City area (“Blanco County ‘Save a life kit’”) for use by Emergency Medical Responders, providing brain fitness exercises to seniors within our county, publicizing the problem of Human Trafficking, helping disabled children at Morgan’s Wonderland and many more.
The Blanco Education Foundation was formed last school year to enhance the quality of education for students in the Blanco Independent School District. The Foundation, managed by an independent board of directors, will partner with local businesses and families to generate and disburse funds (beyond those received from state and federal sources) for innovative educational projects and programs that positively impact significant number of students.