Cell Phones and Text Message rewards to Encourage NY Students to Study

The mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, has turned to the cellphone as a means of combatting school failures among disadvantaged African-American and Latino youths, according to the NY Times.

" In some 20 public New York schools, students will be offered a cellphone and those who get good grades will receive, via text messages, rewards such as concert and sporting events tickets and ringtones that are sponsored by businesses.

The program, which is expected to start in January with between 10,000 to 15,000 students, is the brainchild of Roland Fryer, an economist who oversees another financial reward scheme for good students.

The leaders of the program explained that studies showed the cellphone is the main communication tool among adolescents, and that to use them would be much more effective than posters or television advertising. "

[via MobHappy]

emily | 3:42 PM | SMS and Students |
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