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The Pro Digitial audio system ...

HOLLY, Michigan - To say Christine King’s second-grade class at Patterson Elementary School was excited to show off their new audio equipment would be an understatement.

Students had their chance to “show and tell” how the system works as executives from FrontRow, the worldwide corporation responsible for developing the system, paid the school a special visit Oct. 23 as part of their company’s nationwide promotional campaign.

Matt Mello, director of Technology for the Holly Area School District said 50 FrontRow Pro Digital systems were purchased, divided and installed among Patterson and Holly elementary schools for about $60,000. Mello said all systems were purchased with American Recovery and Reinvestment monies.

Before going into the classroom to film student testimonials, FrontRow Regional Manager Bill McCoy gave a brief presentation on the new equipment to several members of the HAS staff and administration, including Superintendent Kent Barnes.

“Really today is an opportunity for you to actually see how classroom sound reinforcement is impacting the classroom and how this district has been able to take that and build it into their everyday classroom environment,” McCoy said.

McCoy said each classroom system consists of a digital platform receiver, a pendant wireless microphone to be worn by the teacher, and two mounted speaker units consisting of four infrared sensor speakers. The teacher utilizes the system by wearing the pendant microphone, enabling his or her voice to be broadcast through the speaker system.

A big part of the system, according to McCoy, comes from the “21st Century Talking Stick,” a small hand-held wireless microphone used by students in the classroom.

“It really goes back to tribal times,” McCoy said. “The talking stick was used as a sign of respect as it was passed from one person to the next and was a way that once the member of the tribe had the talking stick, everyone else paid attention and listened

“Technology has come a long way from that standpoint, and now with the 21st Century talking stick, students are basically learning those same lessons and bringing it into their classroom.”

McCoy said the 21st Century Talking Stick has had a tremendous impact on classroom participation. “The quietest, shyest little child that maybe once before didn’t feel confident to stand up and participate now is willing to reach out and take a hold of it, knowing that she has the respect of her peers,” he said.

Downsized to fit the hand of a child, lightweight and equipped with an anti-roll ring to prevent it from rolling off an unsuspecting student’s desk, McCoy said FrontRow engineers thought of everything.

Additionally, the wireless pendant microphone worn by the teacher has also proven to be a great asset. “It’s not a comfortable situation for students when teachers are forced to speak in a louder than normal voice,” McCoy said. With classroom voice reinforcement, McCoy said teachers can talk in a normal tone of voice. “Everybody stays calmer and basically at the end of the day, the teacher goes home with unstrained vocal cords.”

Perhaps one of the systems greatest benefits lies in its abilities to help children with hearing impairments. McCoy said students wearing FM assisted listening devices have the ability to tie into the receiver of the system, enabling the audio component to go directly into their FM units. “The system is extremely beneficial to all populations – not just special education students but everybody.”

McCoy said teachers have quickly learned to maximize the benefits of the system, figuring out how to plug iPods and laptop computers into the system to make audio recordings of daily lessons.

“A perfect example is you have a student who is sick – the teacher basically has been able to record her lessons, post it, so that student at home can basically go back and listen to everything that was discussed during class,” he said.

“The proof is in the pudding with the teachers,” Patterson Principal Dennis Inhulsen added. “They won’t use it if its not helping, and it didn’t take them long to figure out how to maximize this system – they love it.”

King’s second-grade students waited patiently for the FrontRow entourage to visit their classroom Friday afternoon, all hoping to have the chance to stand up and share their “show and tell” stories with the group.

One by one and with stories ranging from Halloween to family pets to meals of macaroni and cheese, the students proudly stood before their peers and shared their narratives, “talking stick” in hand.

After sharing their stories, King encouraged each “show and teller” to go around the room, offering the talking stick to classmates who wished to make a comment or ask a question about the story.

Patterson Elementary School was one of two schools in the United Stated chosen by FrontRow to be part of their upcoming ad campaign. On Friday, FrontRow taped testimonials provided by teachers, students and administrators on the positive impact the system brings to the classroom.

“We chose Patterson Elementary School because of the environment, the staff, and the administration,” McCoy said. “Matt Mello, Dennis Inhulsen and Kent Barnes – they all understand the importance of sound technology and the value it brings to the classroom so Patterson Elementary School was just the obvious choice.”