Supriya Jindal brings a surprise to a Bienville Parish school | Business

Educators today have access to a number of interactive devices that help enhance learning, but they're also very expensive. This week, Louisiana's First Lady said her foundation will bring this technology to a Bienville Parish school.

The Supriya Jindal Foundation for Louisiana's Children chose Castor School to receive a new interactive whiteboard system for their library. The award includes a laptop, an interactive whiteboard, speaker system, installation, voting devices and teacher training.

Jindal's foundation, in partnership with the Pearson Foundation and PolyVision, has brought whiteboards to more than 300 classrooms.

"Interactive whiteboards are something we are beginning to see transform education across the country," Jindal said. "A study recently released shows a 17 - 29 percentile gain in academic achievement in classrooms with such systems versus classrooms without. The Foundation is extremely proud to partner with The Pearson Foundation and PolyVision to make this award to Castor High School possible. With hard work, we have the opportunity to make a lasting and positive difference in education."

Jindal was in Castor taking part in Jumpstart's annual "Read for the Record" campaign. The idea is to get more kids to read, and this year the goal was to set a world record. On October 4th, people across the country read the children's book Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad by David Soman and Jacky Davis.

Pearson Foundation President and CEO Mark Nieker said, "Mrs. Jindal has been a strong national advocate for early education and Jumpstart's Read for the Record since the first year of the campaign and for that we thank her. Her involvement and commitment to this campaign has allowed us to involve a record number of First Spouses this year, more than 25 in all, and their participation is crucial for bringing awareness to the long-term benefits of reading to a child."

This is the second year in a row that the Pearson Foundation and PolyVision have partnered with The Supriya Jindal Foundation for Louisiana's Children to donate whiteboards to schools in celebration of Jumpstart's Read for the Record campaign.