BY EMMA CHESTER
Staff Writer

A new grant that has been awarded to English teacher Daniel Harrold could mean new electronics for Baldwin High School.

Former Vice Principal Dr. Janeen Peretin applied for a Sprout Fund grant in October with Harrold using his gamification class for senior English. Their application was chosen and awarded a $5,000 grant.

The Sprout Fund is an organization that awards money to new and innovative programs. In the gamification program, Harrold teaches a class in which students work at their own pace through video game-like lesson plans.

The purpose of the grant is to create a model for the gamifcation class so that teachers at Baldwin as well as other schools can try it.

The model will become part of a larger collection consisting of many different innovative techniques for instruction.

“Mr. Harrold and I are really looking forward to working together to replicate what is happening in his classroom in other classrooms — not only in our building but using it as a model in other districts,” Peretin said.

Harrold said the money may be used to add technology equipment.

“The money will hopefully be used to purchase iPad minis, Chromebooks, or new hardware this year,” he said.

Students in the gamification class like the independence the class provides and think that other classes could benefit from introducing lesson plans like it.

“Every other class you listen and take notes, but in this class you get to work at your own pace on the computers,” Bre Collins said.

Collins also said the program puts more responsibility on students, because they have to make the decision to turn in assignments on time and move on.

Students in the class agree that new computers would definitely enhance it.

“Now, we spend a lot of time waiting for videos and assignments to load,” senior Liz Lane said.