By guest blogger Sara Mungall of Digital Promise

Early in my career as an educator and as the sole provider for my young son, every expense mattered, especially when it came to unexpected technology issues. So when the school technician offered to help fix my badly cracked phone screen, I gratefully accepted. But what I walked away with that day was far more valuable than a repaired device.

Instead of simply fixing it for me, he invited me to learn. Step by step, he guided me through the process, showing how simple it actually was once you understood the basics.

That small, hands-on moment sparked something much bigger: the realization that I could develop technical skills. It set me on a path into edtech and shaped one of my core beliefs as an educator, the value of empowering others by helping them experience previously unknown possibilities.

Fast forward to my present work, where I have the pleasure of knowing Chloe, a sixth-grade student at Jasper County Middle School, a small school in rural Georgia. Chloe recently became the first student in the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools national network to earn CTL Certification, allowing her to repair school devices under warranty, significantly reducing the need to outsource repairs and navigate loaner devices due to processing times. While she openly admits she has always had a curiosity for tech, she maintains that it is the trust and support given to her by her school leadership team, including the IT technician Mr. Pat Lowe, that has transformed her curiosity into confidence. 

As a new Verizon Innovative Learning Schools district in 2023, Jasper County launched a student tech team in each of its participating schools, a powerful model for building student agency through technology. These teams go far beyond troubleshooting by supporting the development of student leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers. 

Why Start a Student Tech Team?

As technology becomes increasingly integrated into education, it’s not enough to provide devices, we must create opportunities for students to co-design, explore, and develop future-ready skills with available technology tools and resources. Building a student tech team is a sustainable, scalable way to do just that. Some additional benefits of student tech teams include:

• Building leadership and boosting student engagement  

• Creating peer-to-peer and student-to-teacher technical support systems

• Encouraging STEM learning, including hands-on device repair

• Cultivating a school culture of digital citizenship and collaboration  

Ready to start the journey toward empowering your own students as digital leaders in your community? Explore the Student Tech Team Toolkit, a free resource that provides guidance on:

• Starting and structuring your student tech team

• Integrating student-led digital learning

• Empowering students as technology leaders

• Creating sustainable tech support systems

Learn more about Verizon Innovative Learning Schools and find out if your school or district is eligible to join.