Latest news with #VerizonInnovativeLearning
Phone Arena
07-05-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
Verizon's classroom tech turned this educator's career around
Sometimes, all it takes is the right opportunity to unlock someone's full potential. Now, Verizon is sharing a success story from a person who managed to work his way up thanks to Verizon's Innovative Learning and turbocharged his career. Greg Pardo had worked for 23 years at the same level in a school. He's worked as a computer science teacher, a STEM interventionist, and other roles. But has found himself unable to work his way into then he took a role as a Verizon STEAM Specialist at McKinley Community School in New Brunswick, and he's advanced to Supervisor of Instructional Technology for the New Brunswick School System. This happened in three years, thanks to his tech education experience, people skills, and professional training from Verizon 's Innovative Learning. As a kid, Pardo loved programming on a PC back when PCs were still a novelty, and played video games. He grew fascinated by machines, robots, and computers. Verizon 's article underlines how today's children's experience is different. Now, most students have instant access to knowledge. The traditional classroom doesn't fully cover the needs of this new generation of self-taught learners. Pardo says children today want to create their own knowledge. Pardo says that working with Verizon Innovative Learning helped him gain more confidence as an administrator and gave him the tools to understand fully how technology is used in a classroom setting. In the Verizon program, students have to complete problem-solving lessons. The teacher is a guide on the side, while students collaborate, communicate, and are encouraged to think creatively and critically. Pardo now shares his wisdom about student-centered learning with educators in the New Brunswick school system and suggests changes in classroom methodology. He underlines that many teachers still teach how they themselves were taught. His role is to encourage them to release the reins and encourage the student to get more involved in the lesson. This would further support the students in their learning and push them towards fulfilling their potential, says Pardo. Verizon Innovative Learning is an education initiative by the carrier. It's aimed at closing the digital divide and also giving students (and educators) the technology and tools to help them succeed in the digital world.
Associated Press
15-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
How Professional Development Turned Two Educators Into School Leaders
Verizon Embracing technology in the classroom doesn't come naturally to all teachers. But for two Verizon Innovative Learning School Coaches — Jennifer Doherty at William Sheppard Middle School in San Jose, California, and Dr. RoseMarie McCandless at the Grace M. James Academy of Excellence in Louisville, Kentucky — a passion for tech integration and supporting other teachers became the cornerstone of their professional careers. This focus on how technology elevates learning drove them to new heights in leadership roles and on to new positions in administration at their respective schools. Doherty was named principal in 2021 and McCandless became assistant principal in October 2024. For both women, the Verizon Innovative Learning professional development resources — which are available for free to all as part of Verizon Innovation Learning HQ — were foundational. 'I was nervous being out of the classroom,' says McCandless, referring to her initial experience with remote teaching. 'But once I got into the professional development lessons, I felt a lot more confident. A lot of what I learned there, especially the micro-credentials courses, was really how to coach and how to support teachers — and that's what I do all day as an assistant principal.' Before joining William Sheppard Middle School, Doherty already had experience working on classroom tech integration which made her a strong candidate to become the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools Coach when Sheppard became part of the program in 2017. 'In my previous experience, the technology itself was never the thing that mattered most,' Doherty says of classroom tech integration. 'It was the pedagogy,' she says, how technology as a tool enhances learning, increasing engagement for both teachers and students. 'And because the Verizon professional development shared that focus, the 40 hours of training was really key and really spoke to me,' she says. When a Verizon Innovative Learning Lab was installed at Sheppard, all 22 teachers participated in the professional development micro-credential series. This training helps educators infuse technology into their teaching in increasingly sophisticated ways, all with the goal of creating learning experiences that increase student engagement and achievement. 'We really leaned into that professional development piece,' says Doherty. She wanted to make certain teachers were doing more than simply swapping a book for a screen. 'It was important to make sure the teachers were using digital tools beyond substituting,' she explains. Thanks to the course work, teachers didn't have to come up with ideas all on their own, but instead gathered lesson plan inspiration woven throughout the courses. One example: Instead of a traditional book report, students in an English Language Arts class could make a movie trailer about a book. 'The teachers were so inspired. They were all like, 'YES.' It was so beautiful,' Doherty says. In 2021, when the school's principal went on leave, Doherty was asked to step in as interim principal. 'Principal had never been on my trajectory,' says Doherty. But since she was a Verizon Innovative Learning Schools Coach, and already in a leadership position, other teachers felt comfortable with her stepping up. 'I was a known entity and people trusted me—and I had been doing a lot of the roles of job with [the principal],' Doherty explains. 'So in terms of skills, taking on the role of principal wasn't a big reach. But it was a confidence issue,' Doherty says. 'Can I lead? Can I do this?' The answer was a clear 'yes'. After a year in the interim role, she received positive feedback from the district and went on to secure the needed credentials to officially take the position. While Doherty had focused on technology as a teaching tool that drove student and teacher engagement, McCandless prioritized doing the best for her students. 'When I first started teaching, I didn't think I would ever want to be a teacher leader, because I loved what I was doing with my kids,' she says. 'But then I figured out that the more that I learned, the better I can be for my kids. And then if I help the teachers succeed, then I will be helping more kids.' The professional development coursework gave McCandless new ways to understand her own skills. 'One of the first things I ever did was make a coaching menu, so I could talk about what I offer and market myself to my teachers,' she says. 'The exercise helped me understand how I'm valuable to others and how I could support teachers.' As assistant principal, McCandless has taken that core idea and applied it to her work in building up her teachers' confidence. 'We had a brand-new teacher who had literally taught for just one semester and he presented to all the other teachers about engaging ways to present social studies source content, and I just had chills,' she says. 'Seeing their development, sharing what they're good at with the other teachers — it just doesn't get better than that.' Verizon Innovative Learning is a key part of the company's responsible business plan to help move the world forward for all. As part of the plan, Verizon has an ambitious goal of providing 10 million youth with digital skills training by 2030. Educators can access free lessons, professional development, and immersive learning experiences to help bring new ways of learning into the classroom by visiting Verizon Innovative Learning HQ. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Verizon
Associated Press
12-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
From Building Robots to Solving Challenges: A Student's Journey From Curiosity to a STEM-Driven Future
Verizon At just 16 years old, Miles Davis, a high-school senior from Washington, D.C., is already charting a path towards a STEM career. Growing up, Davis showed signs of being a strategic thinker: he was a serious chess player with an early love of technology. Davis and his brother used to build robots from kits as young kids. 'I was just so curious about, 'how does it move, how does it work?'' Davis says. 'How does it know which way is left and right?' But Davis's enthusiasm for computer science truly blossomed after he attended Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers at Howard University in 2018 and University of the District of Columbia (UDC) in 2019, when he was a middle school student. Right away, Davis says, he was hooked by the program's curriculum — and his first chance to wear a virtual reality (VR) headset. 'I saw robots, I saw VR goggles, and I saw everyone having fun, everyone learning,' he says. Davis had hands-on experience with emerging technologies combined with the opportunity to apply them in solving real-world problems. From developing medical wearables that transmit vital health information in emergencies, to creating practical solutions for addressing climate change, the students collaborated to tackle urgent global challenges—an experience that profoundly shaped Davis's vision for his future. 'I had never really thought about solving real-world problems,' Davis reflects. 'I was focused on building robots or creating machines, but I didn't fully grasp the bigger picture until I joined this program.' The Howard University program, run by Dr. Kofi LeNiles, combines the tech-based, hands-on learning of the Verizon Innovative Learning program with university-specific values, with an aim of not just teaching tech, but also creating bonds between the students. 'What makes this program at Howard unique is that we not only focus on the excellent STEM curriculum that Verizon provides, but we also focus on community,' LeNiles explains. By transforming competition into teamwork, the program teaches valuable lessons. 'My biggest takeaway from the Verizon Innovative Learning program was how teamwork can solve issues,' Davis explains. 'We really got together and put our ideas together and… wrote it down and started brainstorming; we came up with some really good ideas.' As a graduating high school senior, Davis is already focused on potential possibilities for his future. 'My interest in STEM got me thinking about solving problems… and I feel like it really contributed to my future interest, because everything I do is about solving a problem or fulfilling a need,' he says. Davis has plenty to keep him busy: he is already an entrepreneur with his own clothing line and plans to go to college and pursue electrical contracting as a trade. Verizon Innovative Learning is a key part of the company's responsible business plan to help move the world forward for all. As part of the plan, Verizon has an ambitious goal of providing 10 million youth with digital skills training by 2030. Educators can access free lessons, professional development, and immersive learning experiences to help bring new ways of learning into the classroom by visiting Verizon Innovative Learning HQ. Miles Davis
