Zach Desjarlais and Eddie Sawyer

From left: Zach Desjarlais, a 2017 NextGeneration Leader and manager of instructional technology, and Eddie Sawyer, a 2018 NextGeneration Leader and innovative technology solutions coordinator

Innovative Technology Solutions Coordinator Eddie Sawyer is one of just five K-12 educational technology professionals from around the nation selected by the Consortium for School Networking as 2018 NextGeneration Leaders.

Sawyer started his career with Vancouver Public Schools in 1992 as a technology assistant when he was still in high school. As a student, he also contributed to the development of the district’s first strategic plan and participated in the planning for Vancouver School of Arts and Academics.

More recently, Sawyer played a key role in the implementation and support of the one-to-one technology initiative that gives every student in third through 12th grades a laptop or iPad for learning. This work led to his 2015 selection as the Classified Employee of the Year for the Educational Service District 112 region.

Sawyer now supports students and staff members in their use of more than 20,000 iPads; 3,500 computers; and a variety of other instructional technologies. He also is working with a team on exploring, piloting and expanding hands-on learning and coding opportunities in Vancouver Public Schools.

He was honored in March 2018 during the consortium’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., and featured in an EdScoop profile.