NATCHEZ — The Natchez Early College Academy will roll out 165 laptop computers for its students this fall.

The Natchez-Adams School District is funding the approximate $40,000 cost to put laptop computers in the hands of each of its NECA students, said Principal Kesha Broady-Campbell.

“The teachers will be utilizing the computers as a way for the students to access information and publish and share information,” she said. “I think this is a great opportunity for the students to help them become innovators and competitive in the 21st century.”

Broady-Campbell said laptop computers will help the students utilize research, writing, thinking and problem-solving skills.

“So the teacher may present a topic on an issue, and the students may need to collaborate to come up with a solution for that problem,” she said. “It may be a website they have to build together, or they may need to create an infographic.”

The computers will also be used for online classes. All college courses would be taken at the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Natchez campus, but some electives — such as Spanish — utilize online learning, the principal said.

Freshmen and sophomores will have to check them in and out each day, but juniors and seniors will be allowed to take the computers home. Broady-Campbell said monitors will be on the computers taken home.

“Our tech department will do random checks weekly of the computers to make sure they are being maintained and used according to district policy,” she said.