Thanks to the generosity of a local mom and Internet techie, getting “on line” in the Mile Square Pre-School Program at Wallace Primary School doesn’t mean standing behind a classmate anymore. Now, the class of nearly 30 just-out-of-diapers students can be seen happily pointing and clicking away in front of four brand new iMacs that Hoboken resident Elizabeth Markevitch recently purchased to give the children an opportunity to learn about computers at an early stage in life. Markevitch, an Internet entrepreneur with a 3-year-old daughter in the class, said, “I have seen first-hand how the Internet is changing the world. I think that the sooner we get children introduced to these sorts of technologies the better. Brain research shows that the more stimulation that kids have at an early age, the more the child grows intellectually.” In addition to the computers, Markevitch also purchased educational software that teaches children about shapes, colors and the alphabet by asking them to point and click the mouse in appropriate places on the screen as they navigate a whimsical treasure hunt, or try to solve a puzzle. Markevitch’s gifts were worth a total of $9,000. Teachers like Adriana Battista-Werner are using the computers to supplement their regular classwork. “The programs give a review of the work we do in the classroom,” she said as six 3-year-olds crowded around the computers waiting their turn to take control of the mouse. “One of the things they are also learning is how to share, because they have to wait for their turn.” In addition to the four iMacs that Markevitch donated, another area mom, Felicia Drasheff, is working with the program to donate an additional two IBM-compatible Dell computers. But Battista-Werner emphasized that computers were just one part of their curriculum. “It’s important that they realize that the computer is not the only thing out there,” she said. “We make sure that they get up, run around, and do other things too.” They love it Learning via computers appears to captivate the youngsters attention. “I love it,” said 3-year-old Noel Gonzalez as he clicked on the rectangular door of a house and the screen changed to reveal the house’s interior and a whole new series of shapes. “It changes all the time.” There does not seem to be any such thing as being too young to learn via computer. Markevitch said that her daughter first used a computer at the age of one. “She saw mommy on the computer and she wanted to try,” she said. “Ever since then she has been using it pretty regularly to play educational games and do puzzles.” Markevitch’s good deed did not go unnoticed by city officials. Wednesday night, Mayor Anthony Russo read a proclamation at the city council meeting lauding her efforts to help the pre-school class and presenting her with a plaque to commemorate her work. While many people might be tempted to stand back and bask in the glow of a good deed done, Markevitch said that she was just getting started. In the future, she hopes to work with like-minded members of the community to launch a computer center that would provide access to computers for children who do not have access to them at home. “I have a vision for a center here in Hoboken with the latest computers and Internet access,” she said. “I don’t really believe in the concept of just giving something away. But this is a way to make good on that saying in the Bible: don’t just give people fish to eat, teach them how to fish.”
Our Digital Archive from 2000 – 2016
