Sylvia Rodriguez, a fifth-grade G.A.T.E. (Gifted and Talented Education) teacher at Phoebe Hearst Elementary School in the Sacramento City Unified School District, and one of two 2009 Sacramento County Teachers of the Year received an early holiday present that will make her job a little easier. Rodriguez was the recipient of a technology makeover—a "Techover"—for her home office.
Intel selected the teacher to receive an Intel Core Duo processor-based laptop, printer/scanner/copier, wireless Internet from Comcast, a digital camera, and an LCD television.
"Getting this Techover was so perfectly timed!" Rodriguez said. "My new class has just started a new service-learning project and they want to record their field experiences. Having the camcorder will help so much with this. It's also a camera, so they can take still pictures of their work in the field."
"We thought this would be a wonderful opportunity for Intel to give back to someone who very rarely gets thanked for all that they do: teachers," said Leroy Tripette, External Affairs Manager for Intel Corporation. "Sylvia can now use her new tools to create even richer project-based lessons for her students which means a more enriching and exciting experience for them."
"I am so grateful to Intel for updating my life and making my tasks as a mother and a teacher easier to accomplish," Rodriguez said.
Sylvia Rodriguez and Janet Anderson, who teaches 3rd grade at Elliott Ranch Elementary School in Elk Grove, were selected from among 18 Sacramento-area teachers as 2009 Sacramento County Teachers of the Year.
All of the school districts within the County of Sacramento, along with the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE), are invited each year to participate in the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Program. Larger districts are eligible to submit two entries. All 18 Sacramento-area teachers will be honored during a special halftime presentation when the Kings host the Utah Jazz on Friday, February 6, 2009, at ARCO Arena.
The Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Program is presented by the Sacramento County Office of Education in partnership with Maloof Sports and Entertainment, the Intel Corporation Folsom and the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry.
More information about Intel's volunteer and education initiatives may be found online.