Education is the number one economic development tool a community has at its disposal to attract new businesses. Through a partnership with the Greater Clark County Schools Board of Trustees, the City of Charlestown is taking measures to ensure that the city’s children receive the best education possible.

Children at Charlestown High School and 7^th and 8^th graders at Charlestown Middle School will soon begin participating in the state’s first-ever One-to-One Computer Program, designed to give our youth better access to information, improve performance metrics in our schools and enhance communications between students and teachers. Each student will be provided with an Apple MacBook computer, outfitted with software that gives students the ability to research information on the World Wide Web, write papers and prepare presentations.

The One-to-One Computer program is modeled after a similar program in Greene County, N.C. Six years after the program’s implementation, their community has seen marked decreases in teen pregnancy and drop-outs, along with increases in state-administered standardized tests, enrollment in honors-level classes, college applications and a remarkable 94 percent college-acceptance rate.

Through a partnership with One Economy, the City of Charlestown has also introduced a new program for youth called the Digital Connectors of Charlestown. In this program, students learn to connect our community through technology, provide adult technology education classes, design Web sites and edit and produce film. The youth who participate in this program are our city’s future leaders, and are gaining life skills necessary for success in the modern economy.

In addition to the One-to-One program, Greater Clark County Schools is also in the process of constructing a new, state-of-the-art facility at Charlestown High School with updated classrooms. The construction is expected to be completed in time for the 2010-2011 school year.

A student’s expected annual earnings increase by as much as $20,000 with a college degree versus a high school diploma. We are preparing our children for the challenges of the 21^st century global economy by providing them with an education that emphasizes technology, communication and the power of the Internet.