EBRPSS and 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge to Launch ‘BRidging the Gap’ to provide Apple technology resources and mentorship to local students

A joint press release from EBRPSS and 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge, with approval from Apple

The East Baton Rouge Parish School System and 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge will hold a press conference at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, at the School Board Office (1050 S. Foster Drive) to announce the “BRidging the Gap” initiative to provide 500 iPad to district students.

The purpose of this initiative is to bridge the literacy and technology gap for underserved students to have equitable access to resources to support their education needs. iPad will directly improve students’ literacy and numeracy, and will help to empower families through technology. 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge will provide a mentoring element to this initiative with its “My Brother Can Read” program. Aligning with the overall goal to leverage technology to change student lives for the better, this integration of innovation and mentorship will increase student’s interest in learning. The use of iPad in learning will improve student’s critical thinking skills and creativity, and increase their access to information.

 “The 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge are truly excited to work alongside our local school district. We are committed to providing resources and leading the conversation toward solving a component of literacy that is affected due to technological barriers,” said Michael Adams, president and chairman of the 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge.

EBR Schools Superintendent Dr. Sito Narcisse concurs. “We are thrilled to launch this initiative to provide support to our students as we work to remove barriers to learning through Apple products and mentorship from 100 Black Men. This access to creativity and learning tools and mentorship will undoubtedly prove beneficial to our students as we tackle the digital divide that affects learning head-on,” stated Narcisse.

“At Apple, we believe education is a powerful force for equity,” said Susan Prescott, Apple vice president of Enterprise and Education Marketing. “When you bring together a passionate community and eager young learners, the sky is the limit — and we can’t wait to see how students across the East Baton Rouge Parish School System will use our technology to connect, create and explore.”

For more information, please contact Letrece Griffin, chief of Communications & Family Engagement, at lgriffin7@ebrschools.org, or Anthony Kenney, 100 Black Men communications director, at communications@100blackmen.org.