CAPE STUDENTS ARE GOING ONLINE

Although she isn't a professional educator, Chris Cook knew how the grant-writing process worked. She just never imagined that she'd go from a career in computer sales to computer education.

Cook, a technology coordinator for the Cape Girardeau school district, received a $50,000 grant which will enable her to connect all six elementary schools and Louis J. Schultz School to the Internet. The district must match 30 percent of the project cost, which brings the total to $65,000.

"I was very lucky," she said, adding that it's not often that a first-year grant writer or someone without an education background is accepted.

Cook applied for a technology grant from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The grant is different from a competitive incentive grant in which teachers from all across the state compete for limited funding.

Gov. Mel Carnahan set aside about $20 million in state money to fund the technology grants available to school districts. Most of the money came from gambling profits.

The "Connect the World" grant will purchase radio-transmission antennas for each elementary building and the seventh-grade school. It also will pay to train teachers how to include the Internet in the school curriculum.

That can include everything from help with lesson plans to seeing what other projects are available.

Some of the classes may even want to find key pals, she added. Key pals are the electronic version of pen pals.

The grant focuses on computer lessons for the fourth through seventh grades. Since most of the elementary teachers have had some training, the Internet connections won't be completely new.

But it will be like starting over for others. The elementary teachers had Internet training last year but didn't have computers in the buildings that could access it, Cook said. Now they will have networked computers between the offices and libraries and total access.

Once wired to the building, each antenna will receive radio transmissions which can connect the district to the Internet

At first students won't notice many changes in the computer labs or classrooms, since the bulk of the project is in wiring, Cook said. "It will be a while before they are ready."

Most of the computers will be networked by Christmas at the latest but probably will be linked by October, she added.

Until the network is functioning, teachers and members of the community can learn more about how to surf the 'Net at Community Appreciation Nights.

Twice each month, Cook will open the A+ computer lab to members of the community who want to learn more about the Internet.

"It's just me putting in some extra hours," she said. "But I want to let them see what they get for their money. It should build good will."

The lab, located in the old Driver's Education building on Whitener St., will be open on Tuesday nights from 7-9 p.m. starting Aug. 6. It is open every second week through December. For more information, contact Cook at 335-1867.

Cook hopes to make a presentation to the Board of Education at next month's meeting to explain the grant project and what services it will provide for the district.