Collecting over R400 000 from past station events, 5FM is giving back to the community and have kitted out an underprivileged school with an iPad lab in Gauteng.

5FM banded with Core Group (the sole distributors of Apple) and iSchoolAfrica (an education initiative developed by Core Group) to use some of the money raised to introduce an iPad lab to a high school that needed development in education.

Johannesburg’s Kwena Molapo High School in Cosmo City was the first school to benefit from what is meant to be an ongoing campaign. The vision is to extend to the other provinces within the year. The school will now be putting their iPads to good use as they present their skills at an air show on Friday, 26 June.

National Airways Corporation (NAC), iSchoolAfrica and iGlobe specialists are collaborating to enable the Grade 9 learners from Kwena Molapo to experience their Technology curriculum in full speed. The Grade 9 Technology learners will design their own paper propelled plane according to given criteria. Volunteers from NAC and iGlobe will give the technical expertise to the design and assembly process and mentor the learners throughout the process. The learners will use their iPads to control their planes and show off their ?ying skills at the Kwena Molapo Air show.

Core Group says they could see the impact iPads were making in private schools, but realised the need to find ways to make it accessible to all learners.

“It was with this in mind that Core Group introduced iSchoolAfrica to make this educational experience accessible to all learners and teachers in South Africa. It is about offering teachers, learners and students an educational experience that gives them access to what private schools and the rest of the world are using,” says iSchoolAfrica’s project director Michelle Lissoos.

She adds that the project was not just about the technology, but the complete learning experience.

“iSchoolAfrica is a solution that offers resources, teacher training and community support. Its success also relies on strategic partners like 5FM and their commitment to youth empowerment. This is what made them a perfect partner for iSchoolAfrica. Our programme also believes in creating 21st century skills, digital literacy skills and giving young SA a voice.”

National Airways Corporation, as one of the largest general aviation companies in Africa with more than 69 years of experience and a proud supporter of Kwena Molapo School for many years, is excited to be involved with the Kwena Molapo Air Show.

Martin Banner, CEO of NAC says: “It is great to see enthusiastic organisations like 5FM and iSchoolAfrica engaging with learners about aviation and supporting these initiatives from a grassroots level. This engagement will celebrate the role of aviation and raise the profile of the range of careers available to young people in the industry, hopefully inspiring a new generation of innovators, researchers, engineers, pilots and others that will shape the industry.”

“We are really looking forward to seeing the impact that this sponsorship programme has on the future of the pupils involved. Working with 5FM and iSchoolAfrica will help us to challenge the stereotypes of people working in aviation, allowing us to highlight exciting careers and fascinating research and technology.”

With our investment in this project, various skilled individuals will be contributing their time and talent at different levels – from project leadership, management, mentoring and tutoring. All this will result in outcomes that will change, impact and benefit the learners, the school, the community and the aviation sector in the future.”

5FM marketing manager, Natalie Frank, commented on the project; “Our listeners have been extremely supportive of our CSi campaign and with their help 5FM has successfully raised enough money to support two schools. Education is a great asset to give back to children as no one can take it away from them. The programme will improve their lives and the experience will most certainly have a positive impact on the community.”

“5FM’s partnership with iSchool will result in an amazing programme that makes a difference in the community and will have a positive influence on their future vocations. Through this programme we aim to close the digital divide in South Africa between children that have access to technology and those that don’t,” added Frank.

About 5FM

5FM is the entertainment powerhouse for youthful South Africans, offering the most popular contemporary music and entertainment. The station has won numerous awards, including seven consecutive Generation Next Awards for Coolest Radio Station, 2012 Commercial Station of the Year at the MTN Radio Awards and has been nominated for Most Influential International Station at the 2012 Worldwide Radio Summit.

As a national Top 40 hit music radio station, 5FM is on the pulse of local and global music and content trends; thereby offering audiences access to, and an opportunity to be part of, the energy and dynamism of a fast changing youthful community.

For more information, visit www.5fm.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.