As you may have read earlier this year on our blog, CCS offered its second annual “Design Your Ideal Classroom” technology grant – a great opportunity for Arizona K-12 educators to win a technology infused classroom and training worth thousands of dollars.

CCS just announced the grant winner for the 2010-2011 school year – Kristina Manning from the Arizona School for the Deaf.

The technology she’ll be receiving – valued at about $15,000 – will significantly improve the learning process for the students and allow her to cover topics in greater depth.  Currently the students miss out on a lot of instructional time.  This is because nearly 50 percent of classroom time is spent on students leaving their seats to answer questions in American Sign Language and then scanning for visual clues from classmates to see who the next respondent will be.

List of technology she’ll be receiving:
•    1 Widescreen SMART Board Interactive Whiteboard
•    1 NEC 40” Large Format LCD Display
•    1 EPSON 450W Ultra Short-throw Projector
•    1 eInstruction 32-pad CPS Pulse student response system
•    1 eInstruction Mobi wireless slate system – 1 teacher and 2 students
•    1 AverMedia CP155 document camera
•    1 EPSON GT-500 Workforce Scanner
•    4 RM Education TTS Tuff Cams
•    1 Ergotron TeachWell Media cart

These new audio and visual tools are expected to make it possible to have 100 percent student participation without orchestrating visual turn-taking around the classroom. 

Kristina Manning's winning application was complete with letters of support from her first and second grade students:

The CCS Founder and CEO was featured on the cover of the July issue of Scottsdale Airpark News.  The story gives some great tips on how small businesses that don’t want to spend a lot of money can still take advantage of audio visual technology: Click here to see the article.  



More news from the Scottsdale Headquarters:
•    eSchool News showcases how one teacher that was chosen to receive a technology grant from CCS helped inspire the entire school to make teaching more interactive: Click here to read more. 

•    T.H.E. Journal shows how a 21st Century Classroom can boost students’ academic achievement: Read about it here. 

•    Sound & Video Contractor reporter talks about CCS at InfoComm 2010: Click here to see the story.

Also, CCS Texas has been in the news lately regarding their new McAllen office.
•    Houston Business Journal: Click here to read more.

What's going on at the CCS locations around the country:

Arizona:

CCS Arizona has joined with the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team to sponsor the Teachers' Lounge at a series of games at Chase Field. Attendance has been tremendous for Arizona educators and their families.

Kansas:

CCS designed and is implementing some of the first all digital, high resolution 2x2 video walls,  projection & audio systems in the Kansas City area. The implementation of the all digital design helps to “future proof” the Blue Valley District.

New England:

CCS New England has moved to a new 26,000 sq. ft. facility in Nashua, NH.

Texas:

CCS Texas added an office in McAllen, TX to offer new sales and technical jobs throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Miguel Ojeda has been appointed McAllen branch manager.