JACKSON TWP — A year after winning a coveted technology grant from Hewlett-Packard, Seneca Valley Intermediate High School is still reaping the benefits.

The building was named a High Performing School based on the success of the yearlong project.

The $35,000 HP Technology for Teaching Program grant supports the innovative use of mobile technology in public schools and two- and four-year colleges and universities, according to the Web site, www.hp.com/go/hpteach.

Five intermediate high teachers received laptop computers, multimedia projectors, digital cameras, 3-in-1 scanner/printer/copiers and money donations to participate in professional development throughout the year, "which was fine with us because we wanted what they gave us," said team member Jenifer McMurray, honors biology teacher.

Her teammates included Thomas Lavelle, biology; Vicki MacDonald, honors geometry; Michele Murray, honors algebra 2; and Tracey O'Toole, honors chemistry.

The group had three objectives to work on over the year, McMurray said.

First, each teacher created videos using the cameras and multimedia presentations, like Microsoft PowerPoint, on the laptops and presented their lessons to classes using the projectors.

This enabled teachers to use software programs they had but couldn't use in class because it was hard for everyone to see, McMurray said.

"Students do seem to learn better with different visual stimulation," she said.

Each teacher also maintained a Web site students could access from home. Sites listed homework assignments, other sites to visit, PowerPoints presented in class downloadable for review, worksheets and other activities.

Students also constructed learning portfolios throughout the year, McMurray said.

Each unit was summarized into one page, preferably using pictures and examples, she said, to review for midterms, finals or standardized tests. Teachers outside the team have been invited to begin portfolios with their students, she added.

"For our efforts, we were rewarded with the high performance school award," McMurray said. Seneca Valley is listed in the top 30 of 159 teams nationwide.

As the equipment is the school's to keep, she said the team plans to continue the project.

"Definitely myself — and I think I speak for the entire team — we will keep using the projector, the Web sites, the portfolio pages," McMurray said. "It was really rewarding for us as teachers as well as for the students. We're going to continue to look for opportunities to use it."

They will also learn ways to share their gift of technology.

Each team member attended different professional development courses, and Lavelle is slated to attend the National Education Computing Conference in Atlanta on June 23 to 25 at HP's expense.

Through a multimedia presentation created with HP equipment, Lavelle will present Seneca Valley's findings.

"It's wonderfully addictive," McMurray said. "The more you use it, the more you want to."