BAKERSFIELD, CA - Technology has officially taken over the classrooms at one local high school. Garces Memorial High School started handing out iPads to students Monday night as they become one of the first schools in the county to give each kid a tablet.
On Monday, Garces handed out iPads to incoming seniors and introduced parents to the tablet that will now replace their children's textbooks.
"Everyone is incredibly excited at what's happening at Garces," said Guy Dees, iPad Coordinator at Garces Memorial High School.
Garces High School is making the jump from pens and paper to the iPad, giving each senior one to take home.
"It just makes everything so much more efficient and I think that's what I am looking forward to is the advantages with our teachers," said incoming junior John Soper.
It's a plan years in the making, according to school officials. First, a group of teachers saw the need in the classroom. Then, the school studied the uses of the iPad, and after a $100,000 investment, the transition to technology has begun.
"I just think this is going to bring their real world element back into the classrooms and make instruction that much more relevant to the kids," said Angela Paquette, parent of an incoming senior and former principal.
Each iPad is equipped with parental controls.
"There are built-in security measures while they're here on campus with the devices," said Dees.
More exciting to the students, the iPads also come with apps.
"We're getting Pages, Keynote, Garage Band. All of these applications are going to open up our educational opportunities so much more," said Soper.
The iPads will also replace textbooks, allowing the school to upload a book right to the device.
"You don't have to lug around a lot of books every day and you don't even have to use your locker," said Soper.
It's an exciting concept to most, but all a work in progress as Garces embarks on the program's pilot year.
"It's really going to be a year of evaluating how the process is going and furthering the process from there," said Dees.
By the end of this week incoming seniors, juniors, and sophomores will have their iPads.
Incoming freshman will get theirs next month.