Laura’s Story:

Laura Kiker is Leadership 2020’s “techie.” In March 1999, when she was a third year teacher, she presented her workshop “Plugged in Projects: Connecting Curriculum and Technology” at Autodesk’s Eighth Annual Conference on Project Based Learning in San Francisco. http://www.k12reform.org/foundation/pblconf/

One project presented at that conference was “Business Expo” – a summer school computer class Laura taught in 1998. Elementary school students learned to use Microsoft Publisher as they created their own businesses – from vision statement to business cards and stationery. The culmination of the class was a lunchtime “Business Expo” attended by parents, teachers, local business and city officials, and school district administration.

Laura may have been so inspired by the class that she left the classroom – at least temporarily – to go into business for herself. (See her company website at http://www.purelement.com.) Her heart, however, is still with kids and teachers who are creating healthy and inspiring environments for learning.

As a Leadership 2020 Associate, Laura loves to help teachers incorporate computers as an invisible tool in their classrooms. Her ideas and technical skills will help teachers conserve energy as they make the best possible use of the technology that is available to them.

http://www.k12reform.org/foundation/crossroads/people/kiker.htm