Local organization, Eagle Pass HEROES, donated over 40 iPads to Eagle Pass Independent School District Special Education classrooms on April 20, 2016. At an event hosted by the Eagle Pass Independent School District Administration and Special Education Director, Elizabeth Torres, the iPads were delivered to special education representatives for every campus in the district.
Eagle Pass HEROES was formed by a
local group of individuals who were interested in improving access to resources
for children with special needs in our community.
“Our organization was formed to
assist children in our area with special needs obtain resources that will
assist in their developmental and educational success,” said Catrina Purcell
Longoria, the organization’s Executive Director. As the parent of a child with autism, Mrs.
Longoria understands the importance of providing resources to the children in
the community to help them develop into successful adults. With the support of fellow board members
Wendy Maurer, Elizabeth Perez and Nikolas Libson, the organization was able to
generate sufficient funds to get iPads into the special educations classrooms
district-wide.
“Working on this project for the
kids in our community reminded me why I love Eagle Pass and why I came back to
Eagle Pass to pursue my career,” said Mrs. Longoria. “The generosity of our community and the way
everyone comes together for a good cause makes me proud to call Eagle Pass my
home.” Eagle Pass HEROES has already
received commitments from other contributors and expects to donate additional
iPads to the district before the end of the 2015-2016 school year. Eagle Pass HEROES is working closely with
newly appointed Special Education Director, Elizabeth Torres, to identify the
needs of the special education children and find funding sources to meet those
needs.
The purpose behind the donation
of the iPads to the special education classrooms was to put proven technology
in the hands of the children who can benefit from it the most. Numerous studies have supported the use of
devices such as iPads for the development and education of children with special
needs.
There are 5 key features that make the iPad most beneficial to helping
children with disabilities[1]:
1. Accessibility Features
2. Special Education Apps
3. Over 20,000 Education Apps for iPad
4. Portability
5. Motivation
It is well known that iPad touch
technology supports interactive features that include drag and drop, tap,
swipe, shake and drawing. These features add an element of fun to activities,
making many apps a cross-over between “educational” and “games.” This creates
motivational incentives for children to engage who might otherwise be less
motivated.
The donation of
the iPads by Eagle Pass HEROES was made possible due to the generous support of
community partners like Aguila Construction, Morris & Dora Libson Family,
Hilda Martinez Caballero & Family, Dr. Hector Alvarez and Eagle Pass Dental
Clinic, La Guadalupana Adult Day Care, Superintendent of Schools--Mr. Gilberto
Gonzalez, Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Johnson, EPHS Administrator--Mr. John Cox, Ms.
Sandra Ruiz Rodriguez with Rio Insurance Agency, Kunafin-The Insectory and
Escamilla and Poneck, Inc.
For more
information about Eagle Pass HEROES, please contact Catrina Purcell Longoria at
830-773-6700.
