Vermilion Parish teacher wins technology award

Recently it was announced that Sheri LeBlanc Young, a Pre K teacher at Dozier Elementary won the Region IV LACUE (Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators) Early Childhood Education Award.
Each year LACUE, the state's technology association, honors teachers and leaders with awards in each region, and at the state level.
At the Annual Conference in New Orleans in December, all regional winners will be recognized. From there, a state winner will be named for each category. Young will attend the 30th Annual LACUE Conference on Wednesday, December 3, 2014 to receive her regional award.
Sheri Young, a 2003 North Vermilion graduate received her Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood
Education from UL Lafayette in 2007. Her first job was at Dozier Elementary in Kindergarten from 2007-2008. She was then transferred to James A. Herod Elementary from 2008-2011 as a Pre K teacher. In the fall of 2011, she returned to Dozier Elementary as a Pre K teacher.
Young was nominated for this Early Childhood award by her Principal Karla Toups because of her use of technology (computers, Promethean Board, etc.) in the classroom.
Last year, Young applied for a Donors Choose Project grant to receive an iPad. Though she didn't receive the grant at that time, she reapplied this past fall and received one in late October of this year. She plans to use that iPad with her students in centers, as well as in whole class lessons (connected through her Promethean Board.)
In her "My Pre K Techie Tykes" Donors choose grant proposal to try to attain an iPad, Young's plan of action for her iPad is clear. Young shared, "As a Pre K educator, I see how students enter school on a new level in terms of technology. They embrace it faster than ever before. I know with the use of an iPad and the hundreds of apps available for Preschoolers, I could use the iPad not only in centers, but as a whole class as well. Our school iPad webpage has apps for colors, math, letters, phonics and more. Many of those are free and I plan to use those with my students. Obviously, we live in a society that embraces new technologies daily. I know combining technology resources for our students would be productive. My plan would be to connect the iPad with my interactive whiteboard and projector to offer meaningful lessons to my Pre K students."
When Young received word that she won an iPad, the excited Pre K teacher stated how "grateful she was for the help receiving it because students today are tech savvy in a way like never before." She added, "Let's face it, hand held devices and tablets have students ready for technology lessons upon entering school now. Even at four years old, students love using technology and learn very quickly with all technology tools used in the classroom."
Principal Karla Toups who nominated Young stated, "Dozier Elementary has worked hard to keep our teachers moving forward with technology and I am extremely proud that as a school, we not only embrace it, but continually strive to keep up with new resources at hand. I take pride in knowing that all of our teachers are truly trying hard to utilize technology daily with their students. Without a doubt, Sheri is definitely a great example of a teacher meshing technology and needed skills with her little ones. Though it doesn't seem possible to many, even at four years old, they do excel at it."