St. John Neumann Regional School announced that the school has received a $2,000 Teach Award from Best Buy Co., Inc. for integrating interactive technology into its curriculum.

Computer instructor Allisan Mintz received the award for integrating interactive technology with the virtue of responsibility and designing lesson plans in several disciplines across the curriculum. The lesson plans taught responsibility through math, history, art, geography and religion.

“I wanted to push our students to think outside the box,” Mintz said. “They are very bright, and they need to learn how to think on their feet and find creative solutions to issues.”

This year, Best Buy Teach Awards of $2,000 were given to 1,300 schools to sustain or enhance existing educational programs. An additional 50 schools were awarded $10,000 for technology-based programs they have successfully implemented. Eight school districts will also receive $100,000 awards, which will be announced in May.

“Teachers are finding creative ways to engage students by using technology hands-on; we want to support their efforts by helping them enhance or expand these programs,” said Paula Prahl, Best Buy’s vice-president for public affairs. “We know that schools are the cornerstones of these communities where our employees, customers, and their families live and work.”

Since 2003, the Best Buy Teach Award program has rewarded schools that creatively integrate interactive technology into their curricula. Over the past four years, nearly 5,000 schools nationwide have received $14 million in Teach Awards, reaching 1.5 million students in grades kindergarten through 12. All accredited, public and private nonprofit elementary, middle and secondary schools located within 50 miles of a Best Buy store are eligible.