Bowdon teacher receives funding from Qwest for technology upgrade

After 46 years of teaching, Janice Kanwischer still finds new and interesting ways to keep her fifth- and sixth-grade students engaged.

Kanwischer has spent her entire teaching career at the Fessenden-Bowdon, N.D., school. This year, she received funding from the Qwest Foundation for a Global Positioning System project she will conduct with her students.

Qwest gave a total of $25,000 to 12 teachers at 10 schools across North Dakota with the help of the North Dakota Educational Technology Council. This is the second year the foundation has awarded money to teachers who will use it for technology-related projects with their students.

Teachers had to propose their own projects and apply to receive the funding. Each school project received $2,500 from Qwest, and grants were awarded through a competitive process.

Kanwischer's students will use GPS units to map conifer trees in the school district that are plagued with a certain harmful fungus.

"We have to learn how to identify the fungus on our conifers because it can kill them," Kanwischer said of her project. "I'm trying to get the kids into the 21st century."

Thirteen GPS units will be purchased for Kanwischer's 21 students with the Qwest Foundation money.

"We're really excited to give this money to teachers," said Johnna Hoff, a Qwest Foundation spokeswoman.

The Fessenden-Bowdon students already have been using technological devices daily. Each student in grades five through 12 has an iPAQ, which is a pocket personal computer.

Students use iPAQs to take notes, e-mail completed assignments to their teachers and much more. Students take the small computers home with them to complete homework assignments, then bring them back to school daily.

"All our rooms have this new technology, so I was trying to find something new," Kanwischer said. "Students are kind of like sponges and tend to do well with technology. They absorb information and then run with it."

Kanwischer's fifth- and sixth-grade students will make good use of the iPAQ feature as they complete their GPS project. Information they obtain about the tree fungus will be stored in their iPAQs and used in the project.

The students will work with a professor from Bismarck State College to learn how to use the GPS units and a horticulturist from North Dakota State University to identify the fungus. Those lessons will be conducted through live television conferences.

"I tried to find something they didn't know about," said Kanwischer of her GPS project. "I'm learning with them."

After the students have mapped out School District areas that have fungus-infected conifers, they will suggest to landowners ways to treat and kill the fungus.

Other Fessenden-Bowdon School District classes have expressed interest in using the GPS units. For example, Kanwischer's class is "going to work with the junior high students to teach them how to use them," she said. "I will hide things around the school, and they will have to use the GPS units to find them."

The school will retain the GPS units for other projects after this school year ends.

"It engages the students," a happy Kanwischer said. "I'm so excited."

Other N.D. winners

The 12 teacher recipients of the North Dakota grant awards from the Qwest Foundation were announced Dec. 20 by the company. The other 11 state winners:

-- Sara Zaun, kindergarten, West Elementary, Buffalo, N.D. (Maple Valley School District).

-- Tamara McNeiley, second grade, Kenmare Elementary School.

-- Tracy Forbord, fifth grade, Grafton.

-- Meribeth Hall, first grade, Prairie View Elementary, Devils Lake.

-- Sheri Hoyt, seventh grade, Dunseith.

-- Cyndie Behles, second grade, and Colette Giffey and Sue Hendrickson, fifth grade, Bob Callies Elementary School, Garrison.

-- Sarah Dewey, kindergarten through third grade, Baldwin.

-- Jeanette Fox, fifth and sixth grade, Wing.

-- Bret Dockter, fourth grade, Harvey.

The state of Minnesota was awarded a grant of $57,688 from the Qwest Foundation in August that was split up among 10 different teachers. Most of Minnesota's grant recipients teach in the central portion of the state including the communities of Andover, Blaine, Minneapolis and St. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Paul.