Enough about Gilbert Arenas “goofing” around. Here’s a story worth your time.

HP, the NBA and the International Society for Technology in Education leveraged their respective expertise and resources to hold a national competition that encouraged young people – ages 12 to 14 – to become digital media producers. (Watch out James Cameron!) One of the great things about the competition was the submission process itself. Here the students had to create something, allowing them the opportunity to work together on a project that required some creativity and strategy. Even for those students/schools that did not win the big grant, the process itself was a winning proposition. Great stuff.

(property of the NBA)

(You can read the press release here, with an excerpt below)

HP and NBA Award Nearly $500,000 in HP Technology to Six Underserved Public Middle Schools Across the Country; -HP Digital Assist Education Grant Competition Rewards Creativity and Knowledge in Math, Science and Reading

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Nearly 90 middle schools signed up to participate in HP Digital Assist in early September. Using a seed grant of two HP Tablet PCs, an HP Photosmart All-in-one Printer and access to NBA photos, footage and other materials, teams of students at participating schools produced nearly 300 digital, sports and basketball-themed submissions that demonstrated their knowledge of math, science and reading concepts.

HP, NBA Cares, NBA team representatives and education experts from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) selected the first-place winning schools, which will receive an HP mobile digital classroom technology grant and a special NBA award package valued, collectively, at more than $80,000. The technology component of the grant includes 25 tablet PCs, inkjet and LaserJet printers and a mobile storage cart from HP and professional development from the ISTE for teachers and staff. The NBA award component of the first-place grants features 50 NBA game tickets, NBA merchandise and public recognition at a game. Second- and third-place winners in each city also were announced. Descriptions of these awards, project submissions and a full list of winners are available at www.hpdigitalassist.com.

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