MASSENA -- A team from Alcoa recently toured Jefferson Elementary to see the smart boards and LCD projectors installed as the result of an Alcoa grant to the school.

Plant Manager John Martin, IT Manager Sue Kramer, Aluminum Services’ Shawn Scott, Primary Manufacturing Manager Steve Rombough and Safety Manager Matt Barnes visited the school to see the difference having a smart board in the classroom makes for the teacher and the students.

The group visited several different classrooms where students and teachers were working with the new equipment. Students use the boards for grammar lessons, playing Jeopardy, doing crossword puzzles, watching BrainPop videos and studying mathematics.

“We use the smart board for our ELA agenda and the lunch count, which saves a ton of time. Being able to link a video on the smart board also saves time as I don’t have to run back to my computer anymore and can stay in front of the classroom,” said 6th grade teacher Nicole Terminelli.

The tour also visited a classroom where students were mapping Henry Hudson’s trip up the Hudson River.

In Brittany Groebler’s second grade classroom students showed off new skills on their smart board, which they have named “Smarty.”

“Do you all like your new smart board – does it help you?” asked Martin.

The response was unanimous. “Yes,” shouted the students.

“We are so thankful for our smart board,” said Groebler.

The smart boards are phase one of an Alcoa grant designed to improve student learning by increasing student-teacher interaction and providing students with better visual and physical learning tools.