A bug of massive proportions is poised to besiege Dana Middle School.
While not a real insect, a decidedly harmless 2007 Volkswagen Beetle will be raffled off to one lucky community member in the school’s first such fund-raiser to benefit the science department. The goal: to raise money for computers.
The Dana Association, a nonprofit that provides volunteer support and raises capital to fund enrichment and enhancements for Dana’s curriculum, generated the idea. City Chevrolet off Marina Boulevard donated the 2007 Beetle for the benefit. A limited 2,000 tickets are being sold at $25 each. The drawing will take place at the school’s jog-a-thon March 15, and the raffle winner will even be able to choose the color of their new car.
“If anyone does any kind of gambling, it’s really good odds. 1,000 to 1 is a heck of a better deal than anything out there in the gambling casinos or in the lottery,” said Jane Singleton, a science teacher at Dana Middle School.
The science department is hoping that the raffle will raise enough money to purchase at least 30 laptop computers. The department currently has 20 computers, which are four years old and shared between 120 students at a time.
The school’s three science teachers filter all 900 fifth- and sixth-graders through their three classrooms, three times a week.
“At any given time, there are about 120 children in our three classrooms divided up. So, if one [teacher] wants to use the computers, the other two classes obviously can’t,” Singleton explained.
Singleton and her co-workers would like to have at least 10 laptop computers to a classroom. Laptops are important to the science program because the students will be working with water while doing experiments, and they are more portable.
“With the world “” and the United States in particular “” crying out that we need more technology and science students, this is a good age to catch the kids,” Singleton said. “[Science] is cutting edge “” things that are happening now. By the time a textbook gets put out, it’s four, five, six years old, and that’s not cutting-edge science, as far as I’m concerned.”
The shortage of computers isn’t necessarily due to budget cuts, as computers have never been in the budget, according to Singleton.
Down the road, Singleton would also love to see robotics come into the school, adding that the starting costs are about $4,000 without the requisite software and the computers.
“I think that we’ll go further with [robotics], but the basics are to get the computers. Once we get the computers, we’re open to a lot of other venues and areas to help the kids,” she said.
Dana Middle School comprises fifth and sixth grades. Regarding science classes, fifth-graders study physical, earth, chemical and life sciences, while sixth-graders focus primarily on earth science.
To purchase raffle tickets, visit the school’s front office at 1775 Chatsworth Blvd. For more information, e-mail science teachers Michelle Koft, Patty Crane or Singleton via the school’s Web site, www.danamiddle.com.