Donation to Burnet High School to help purchase laptops
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
BURNET — D.I.J. Construction has donated more than $12,000 to the Burnet High School science department for the purchase of laptop computers.
The Burnet Consolidate Independent School District board of trustees approved accepting the $12,403.25 donation during its regular board meeting Oct. 20.
Science department chairman Andy McHazlett said the high school is very appreciative of the donation, particularly because the old computers simply could not be upgraded for the new software required for labs and calculations.
“The software is pretty awesome,” he said. “We’ll have them on a cart on wheels so we can transport them.”
McHazlett said he was happiest for the students because he believes the computers will offer them a brighter future.
“Our kids are technology driven,” he said. “Even our laptops were out of date. This solidifies our science department.”
New physics teacher Chris Murrell, who came to Burnet High School from Texas State University, had told colleagues of the technology-focused teaching trends, the chairman said.
“It’s what everyone is using,” McHazlett said. “Everything is technology. Companies are hiring people with science backgrounds and skills, but if you don’t have the technology, you’re behind. Technology makes science easier. It’s how things are going.”
He knows most citizens probably learned science classes with a book and a lab without a computer. It’s simply not the way of the science world today, he said, because of the formulas and calculations.
“We’ll get our kids academically on par with the best schools around,” he said. “We’re excited about it. It’s one of those donations to really help our kids here in Burnet.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com