A Letter from Teacher

Hey Vito Technology!
Hopefully this is the type of story you’re looking for. I also attached a few images of the kids using it, but they won’t make their first classroom appearance until this Sunday. I’ll send more full-class as I get them.
My name is Matthew Jones and I’m a software engineer for Box. As part of our Act10x box.org initiative, we’re partnering with Team4Tech to support the distribution of in-classroom projectors, tablets, and other technology as well as staff and teacher training, to impact the quality of education for underprivileged youth around the world. This March, a team of 10 Box employees are currently in Cambodia working within a nonprofit called Journeys Within Our Community (JWOC). JWOC’s mission is to reduce poverty levels, increase education and economic opportunities, and inspire social change. They provide scholarships to send local students to receive a college education. During their studies, they teach free English and other classes to children and adults who can’t afford high quality supplementary education.

In this second phase of work in Siem Reap, Team4Tech granted JWOC matching funds for 25 new tablets, 5 laptops and projects, and other hardware & software, all to help increase the technological literacy of both the instructors and the students. My job is to help augment their science and technology curriculum to include new ideas for the integrated use of new technologies like mobile apps in not only Science course, but also in other classes as well. One suggestion I proposed, which has been met with great enthusiasm, is to focus on astronomy. As an amateur astronomer myself, I really enjoy inspiring the curiosity in youth through the wonders of the cosmos to these children.

The best part of building this new curriculum at JWOC has been the opportunity to incorporate applications like Star Walk and Solar Walk into the classroom. Showing images and slide presentations can be useful, but they don’t compare at all to the wonder and excitement of the children when they get to actually hold the tablet and move it to see different areas of the sky. Due to the smog and weather conditions, these moments can be the first time some of these children have seen how beautiful the night sky can actually be.

All in all, this is a very rewarding experience and it’s all due to the help and support of many people, especially Vito Technology for providing these beautiful applications that really bring astronomy to life.
Thanks,
Matt