(BEDFORD) – The Virtual Empire Academy students are taking semester exams Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence County this week.
Approximately 350 students are involved in taking exams. Since school is still in session, educators at North Lawrence Community Schools decided to use the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence County as an exam spot.
“This is a great way to test our ability to handle a large number of students as well to test our new infrastructure of Wi-fi access points throughout our facilities to make sure it works properly,” said Frank Decker, Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence County Director.
The grant from ROI was used to renovate the teen building and create a multi-use STEM space featuring robotics, makerspace, and tech shop for elementary school students and teens in after-school programming.
“This will also provide virtual learning opportunities if North Lawrence Community Schools would go virtual across all grades anytime in the near future,” said Decker. “I believe we could easily accommodate up to 150 students and keep them socially distanced if the need and the demand arise.”
“The original intent was to have enough capacity to host future robotic tournaments, but having the upgraded wifi infrastructure put us in a great position to meet multiple needs, and this test our ability to do it,” added Decker.
North Lawrence Community Schools contacted the Boys and Girls Club about using the facility and so far this has worked out well for both organizations. The students will be taking two-course exams this week according to Jenna Clark of Virtual Empire Academy.
“Today, things went well for us, a few minor glitches, but overall everything went well,” said Jenna Clark of the Virtual Empire Academy.
“The students of course take the classes on-line using chrome books; however, the students have to take final exams in person,” said Clark.
“We want to thank their parents and grandparents for taking the time out of their busy schedules to bring the students for the testing,” Clark added. “Most of all we would like to thank our partner Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence County for the use of their facilities.”
“The community has just been so supportive of our organization, and now with COVID-19 we found another way to be give back to the community in many more ways,” said Decker.
