Photographs by Ginny Sims          

DOT USA is the newest addition to DOT’s network of global programs, serving as the driving force to bring the TeachUp! program model to Mississippi and Louisiana. DOT USA, through TeachUp!, seeks to help schools and communities effectively enable learning with technology provided by Cisco Systems’ 21^st Century Schools program.

Each year, local junior/senior standing college students and recent graduates are selected to serve as TeachUp! Interns in Mississippi and Louisiana public schools. These Interns form the people power of the TeachUp! program and are highly trained and supported to work one-to-one with teachers to create simple and powerful projects that are applicable in the classroom.

By seamlessly integrating technology into learning, DOT USA hopes to deliver a richer educational experience to students and their teachers in Mississippi and Louisiana. But the impact of the TeachUp! program will be felt beyond schools – DOT USA believes that enhanced student outcomes will also translate into more successful communities. At the same time, improvements in communications infrastructure brought about by 21^st Century Schools will further encourage the development of a new Gulf Coast economy.

Insights gained from the program’s application in these two states will be used to help expand the TeachUp! program across the country and be a model for education initiatives around the world.