Teens Use iPads To Transform Their Neighborhood [Sponsored Post]

Teacher Enrique Legaspi at work for College Track.

While some kids are at goofing off at camp or watching re-runs this summer, a group of teens in Los Angeles are reinventing their neighborhood with the help of iPads.

They’re taking part in a new Digital Storytelling class and the first assignment – run as a contest – is to see who comes up with the best ideas for transforming Boyle Heights. This East Los Angeles neighborhood, described by singer will.i.am who grew up there as a “wasteland” is also home to one of the youngest populations in the city.

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How iPads Can Transform Learning in Boyle Heights [Sponsored Post]

     Singer will.i.am at the TRANS4M Boyle Heights launch.

Summer school has never been this cool: kids in a Los Angeles neighborhood will spend four weeks using iPads and MacBook Airs in a digital storytelling class.

The class is part of a three-subject curriculum — they’ll be boning up on English and math skills, too — to boost the chances of 65 ninth graders to get into college.

It’s the first offering of the Trans4m Boyle Heights Initiative, backed by a $7 million, three-year commitment from Chase and lead by will.i.am, who grew up in the neighborhood. His charity,  i.am angel foundation, and College Track, co-founded by Laurene Powell Jobs, are teaming up for the project.

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