How We Arrived At This Point 

In 1999, the BellSouth Foundation

launched BellSouth edu.pwr

3

, a

multi year, $10 million initiative

designed to increase the capacity

of school leaders, teachers and 

students to fully harness the power

of technology for learning. The

BellSouth edu.pwr

3

initiative 

consisted of three components:

throughout the region who shared

Power to Lead:

Leadership 

our enthusiasm and interest in using

development seminars and grants

technology to enhance the learning

to support school superintendents

experience. We found a number 

with technology deployment 

of ways in which they were thinking

strategies ($2 million);

in new, innovative ways about 

Power to Teach: 

Teacher 

technology in the classroom. 

professional development grants 

In one Mississippi high school, 

for school districts ($6 million); and

student teams engaged in a multi 

Power to Learn: 

Deeper 

discipline project that combined

exploration of four schools' efforts

communications, physics and 

to integrate technology schoolwide

algebra to design, develop and 

and the effects on learning over 

promote the roller coaster as 

a two year period ($2 million).

a viable part of the amusement

park industry. In Tennessee, a 

While each of these programs was

student advisory team is working

established with clearly defined

with district leaders on technology

goals and desired outcomes, the

issues for learning and for the 

learnings that emerged from each

operation of the school overall. 

far exceeded BellSouth's expecta 

In another example, a forward 

tions. As the initiative progressed

thinking superintendent gave every

through the Lead, Teach and Learn

school board member a laptop 

phases, we found ourselves explor 

to help improve the quality and 

ing a number of different ways 

frequency of communications

in which the power of technology

between the board and district

is being harnessed at the district

leadership, thereby helping them 

level, in individual schools and in

to become more informed and

the classroom. At every step of the 

effective in decision making. 

way, there were superintendents,

principals, teachers and students