Success! We Install the Donated Smart Board at School!

 February 21, 2024

“Today was an excellent day!” – Lewis Marte, translator for our group and former English teacher

That quote truly sums up the experience I had in the Altagracia School today. In fact, it was so excellent that I had tears in my eyes – which isn’t an often occurrence for those that may not know me!

It all started in Croydon, NH where I complained to my Superintendent, Dr. Frank Perotti, about wanting updated interactive boards in our school. Being Frank, he said ‘great! I know just what to do with the old ones!’ and so it began. Frank was able to work with the DR Project leader, Rita, and various local organizations to coordinate the shipping, funding and acceptance of three interactive boards to the Dominican Republic. We eagerly packed up the boards and he drove roughly 9 hours to a shipping port in New Jersey to send them on their way! 

Fast forward and the DR Project is here in Cotui to begin receiving the boards and other donated goods that were shipped (clothing, medical supplies, and gifts for the students). So far, one board and projector has arrived and today we began the installation process! Myself, Lewis, and a small team of ‘tech savvy’ group members were able to get the board and projector mounted with relative ease. Phase 1: complete!

Phase 2: not so easy to complete! While the projector and speakers were working wonderfully, the touch screen portion was not. Lewis and I began to download the various software that accompany the board but could NOT figure out how to calibrate the machine! I began phone calls and video chats with our tech guy in the states (huge shout out to him) and he started researching ways to get it working. Failed attempt after failed attempt...it was time to give up for the morning and go to lunch. 

We started anew in the afternoon with new instructions from our tech guy. I began downloading various tools and was growing extremely nervous that the computers in the DR were not compatible with the software needed to get the boards functioning. I decided to try another attempt at reading the Spanish icons in the computer’s settings and found one that I didn’t recognize before. As I am sure you can imagine…it was the one!  Lewis and I became overjoyed with relief and emotion. In front of a classroom filled with second grade students, we began cheering, high-fiving and hugging. I will never be able to explain the relief and joy that we both felt. Instantly, we had students up at the board writing on it in pure amazement. They too began to jump up and down and drop their jaws at this incredible piece of technology in front of them. The teachers began to hug me and everyone was so thankful for this new learning opportunity that they had been given. “Today was an excellent day!” Lewis exclaimed and I know I couldn’t have said it better. 

In tonight’s debrief we reflected on the amazing day we had. Students remembered us from yesterday, they remembered the vocabulary words we taught them, and we are truly beginning to feel that we are making an impact. Thank you to all who helped to make this happen…your assistance and kindness has not gone unnoticed! 

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