By Kaitlyn Ngo, Staff Writer
At the start of the 2017-2018 school year, Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) welcomed students back to school with two new touch screen kiosks at the Media Center and 300 buildings. The new Skool Live kiosks were installed with the intention of promoting and improving communication between students and the school.
FVHS hopes to utilize the screens to keep students updated on news regarding the Associated Student Body (ASB), weekly club activities, school events and sports.
“We’d like to keep the screens up-to-date with ASB and club activities as well as sports and assemblies. If a student would like to see what’s going on for the day and week, they’ll be able to go to the screens for quick information,” said Principal Morgan Smith, Ed.D.
The new touch screen Skool Live kiosks were provided by the media company, Skool Live, free of charge to the school. The kiosks will also help FVHS fundraise by giving local businesses the opportunity to advertise to students on campus. Through corporate marketing and advertising, Skool Live is able to provide kiosks to schools around the nation, allowing schools like FVHS to independently fundraise easily. This will allow the school to gain revenue to go towards school events or the student body.
“[The content] the company runs is specific to the advertising contracts they maintain. We are free as a site to also find businesses that would like to advertise on our screens as a school fundraiser,” said Smith.
Skool Live is a new and upcoming company that claims to be “the first fully interactive network of its kind with a nationwide digital footprint”. The company’s mission is to connect, innovate, advocate and inspire students to become more engaged in school events and news.
Although the Skool Live kiosks are a new feature on campus to everyone, FVHS staff and administration have high hopes and big plans on using the screens to help students get more connected and informed.
“Although at first I had no idea about the Skool Live screens on campus, after discovering their purpose, I’m sure that I will use them in the future,” said senior Courtney Le.
The kiosks’ information will be uploaded by select teachers and administration on campus through slides that will be featured. The Skool Live screens allow for information to be distributed to the student body easily in an interactive manner.
By combining social media, technology and the digital habits of students, Skool Live seeks to accomplish its goal of encouraging an active student body that is empowered to learn, discover and grow.
“Our future plans are evolving,” said Smith, optimistic about the endless possibilities that Skool Live will contribute to the school.
