Rather than guessing what students need from educational technology, DeKalb County School District (DCSD) leaders are letting students take the lead—and the results are reshaping classrooms and career paths alike.
At the heart of this transformation is the award-winning Digital Dreamers program, an initiative launched in 2018 by Georgia’s DCSD as part of their 1:1 device rollout. Now, with over 300 pre-K through high school students actively designing apps, leading tech events, and even training teachers, the program stands as a national model for authentic student engagement in edtech.
The program’s architects, Terri Webb, Manager of Instructional Technology, and Natasha Lawyer, Instructional Technology Coordinator, were recently honored at the Southeast Regional Leadership Summit with the Innovative Educational Technology Specialists Award. Their shared philosophy? Let students dream—and then build the future alongside them.
“When you dream of something, you are really putting your wants into reality,” said Webb. “Instead of the district pushing devices, the students told us what they wanted. They designed their dream device—from how it looks to how it’s used.”
DCSD students didn’t just voice ideas—they took action. Through initiatives like the student AI Cohort, a school portal redesign hackathon, and a Chromebook training club, students quickly evolved from participants into ambassadors. They identified gaps, like educators struggling with tech basics, and filled them.
“We were trying to start a club to help students fix Chromebooks,” said Webb. “But the students said, ‘We don’t need to fix them. We need to teach the teachers how to use them.”
This peer-led dynamic fostered deep learning and collaboration. One standout initiative, Magical Moments with Microsoft, attracted over 300 applicants—ten times the expected number—for its hands-on summer tech camps. Even the youngest students—some as early as pre-K—are now podcasting, designing games, and showcasing their digital creations before professional judges.
Equity remains a driving force behind DCSD’s approach. Lawyer noted early disparities in participation at the district’s Tech Competition, prompting direct outreach to underrepresented schools.
“We knew they were doing the work,” she said. “We just needed to bridge the gap and make it clear they belonged in the room.”
This targeted engagement saw the competition grow from 200 participants to over 1,000 in just three years. Students present real-world tech projects—from third grade to senior year—developing not just technical skills but confidence and professional poise.
“They’re learning how to pitch, present, and showcase their work like professionals,” the Lawyer emphasized.
The district also partners with local vendors for Techpalooza, a community event where students engage directly with industry representatives, parents, and peers, showcasing innovations, testing new tech, and networking for future careers.
One particularly remarkable story highlights the program’s full-circle impact. A ninth-grade student, a multi-year Tech Competition winner, designed a functional event app to streamline student presentations. Though too young to be paid for his work, he negotiated a professional exhibitor table at Techpalooza—complete with resume handouts and live demos.
“Vendors were lining up, asking how they could support him,” Webb said. “That’s what we call ‘pipeline to profession.’”
At the core of all these efforts is a culture of listening—truly listening—to student voices.
“Students know what they need better than anyone else,” said Webb. “We just need to stop, ask, and validate.”
Whether it’s choosing tools, designing summer camps, or influencing hiring decisions, DCSD’s student-focused model is turning classrooms into launchpads and learners into leaders.
