Welcome to our Proud Learning Community!
In order to significantly prevent dropouts and increase the graduation rate, the Sunnyside Unified School District is using laptops as an incentive to create an unprecedented and sustainable shift in student culture targeting the Four A’s: Academics, Attendance, Activity and Attitude.
Project Graduation: The Digital Advantage, funded by donations from business and community partners, awarded personal laptop computers to 505 ninth-grade students who achieved the following four criteria at the end of the first semester of 2008-09: a 95% or better attendance rate, 2.5 or higher grade point average, participation in at least one extracurricular activity, and good attitude as demonstrated through having no out-of-school suspensions.
The tremendous support from partnerships - $1.1 million donated in six months - demonstrates the community's commitment to education and belief in our students' potential. 339 additional students in 10th, 11th, and 12 grades also received laptops at the end of the third quarter. In addition to a longer timeframe, these students were required to achieve a 3.5 GPA. More than 22% of the Sunnyside District's high school students will be equipped with educational technology enabling them to bridge the digital divide and make progress toward a future filled with possibility and hope.
Digital Scholars celebration
The Digital Scholars program rewarded 339 students in the 10th, 11th and 12th grades with a laptop computer at a special Digital Scholars celebration event held April 27, 2009 at the Tucson Convention Center Grand Ballroom. These students met the following requirements at the end of the third quarter: at least a 3.5 grade point average, 95% attendance, involvement in an extracurricular activity, and no out-of-school suspensions. Like The Digital Advantage, laptops for Digital Scholars are funded entirely through private donations.
The Digital Advantage Celebration
As part of the Digital Advantage program, the Sunnyside District awarded laptops to 505 freshmen from Desert View and Sunnyside high schools on January 8, 2009 at UA’s Centennial Hall. Together with their family and friends, more than 2,300 people from the Sunnyside community filled Centennial Hall for the January 8th event. This was a special moment for everyone in attendance and this was the first introduction to the University for many families. SUSD also achieved another great milestone as the district has now raised over $1,000,000 for this effort from the help of many sponsors.
