Credit: BTSD/Verizon
Verizon’s years-long partnership with the Bristol Township School District has produced results.
The telecommunications company recently highlighted two of the students who were part of the Verizon Innovative Learning Program.
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Students Giovanni Nigro, a current Harry S. Truman High School student, and Minu Patel, a Temple University student who attended township schools, were both part of the district’s student-led technology team, known as Tiger Techs, that operate at Franklin D. Roosevelt and Neil A. Armstrong middle schools.
Below is the information on the students via the school district:
The Content Creator
Giovanni Nigro is a junior at Harry S. Truman High School and while he attended Neil A. Armstrong Middle School, he was a Tiger Tech. The Verizon Innovative Learning program allowed Nigro to develop his passion and gave him an outlet to create art in a multitude of mediums including music, film, production and theatre.
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“It was a complete creator’s dream making art that you can call your own,” said Nigro.
In high school and in his spare time, Nigro is involved in Truman’s News Network, student leadership, school musicals, VOICE Club, and composes his own music and writes. As a sophomore, Nigro took over as host for the District’s podcast “Tiger Talk,” which he continues to host. He also supports teachers by producing videos for the school-wide positive behavior program.
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“He is my ‘go-to student’ in the school and is always full of energy and willing to jump into any creative endeavor to support the school and community that we ask of him,” said Dawn Martesi, assistant principal at Harry S. Truman High School and former instructional coach at Neil A. Armstrong Middle School. “Giovanni has emerged as a true school leader of positive culture that celebrates creativity here at Truman.”
The Future Tech Leader
Minu Patel is a senior at Temple University majoring in Information Science and Technology. She was one of the first students in the Verizon Innovative Learning Program in 2014 at Franklin D. Roosevelt Middle School.
“Suddenly, I get exposed to this technology. It was like ‘Hey, this is where you belong,’” she said.
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Although technology is dominated by males, Patel encourages women and girls to embrace their inner “techie.”
“To all the girls out there, the opportunities are endless. Don’t let the barrier stop you – crush through it and take that step toward the future,” she said.
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Verizon has chosen Patel as their next Global Citizen and she will be featured on Good Morning America.
“Minu and Giovanni are excellent examples of what Bristol Township School District Students can achieve,” said Bernadette Hannah, assistant principal at Neil A. Armstrong Middle School and former instructional coach at Franklin D. Roosevelt Middle School.
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Verizon began working with the Bristol Township School District in 2014 in an effort to close the digital divide.
The district said students who took part in the Tiger Techs program were a “vital part of the success of the program, becoming leaders within the school district, county and state, including participating in state and country technology and media competitions.”
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“Bristol Township would not have been able to facilitate the one-to-one program without our Tiger Tech student leaders,” Hannah said.
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