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Verizon Foundation
funding for the Computers for Families program has now reached $49,500,
as a result of a second grant for $25,000, according to an announcement
by the program’s co-sponsors, Santa Barbara Partners in Education
(Partners) and the Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO).
While making this grant presentation at the Oct. 4 meeting of Santa
Barbara Partners in Education, Verizon External Affairs Director John
Dokken noted the Foundation funding will be applied toward Computers
for Families’ largest budget expense, computer refurbishment costs.
With this funding, Computers for Families will refurbish used, donated
computers for a minimum of 200 underserved families.
Refurbishment includes installing larger hard drives (2GB and larger),
56K modems, upgraded RAM (64 mgs), and purchasing software site licenses
for Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing and Microsoft Office.
In accepting the donation, Santa Barbara Partners in Education President
Mark Sylvester expressed great appreciation for the Verizon Foundation’s
critical support for leveling the technology playing-field for underserved
families:
“With this grant, the Verizon Foundation supports the creation
of a model educational environment here in the greater Santa Barbara
area. We thank the Verizon Foundation for its strategic investment in
bridging the digital divide in our local community.”
County Superintendent Bill Cirone, whose office coordinates the program,
agreed. “The Computers for Families project has changed lives for
the better at every level – from the students who are learning
to refurbish the computers to those on the receiving end and their families.
The Verizon Foundation should be very proud of this commitment to the
community’s betterment.”
Annual U.S. Department of Commerce research has documented what educators
throughout the South Coast have experienced in their classrooms: that
information tools such as the personal computer and the Internet are
increasingly critical to economic success and personal advancement.
This research has also demonstrated that low and moderate income families
are particularly in need of increased access to information resources.
In response, Partners and SBCEO designed Computers for Families as a
community technology initiative providing home access to technology.
Computers for Families’ goal is to provide 4,000 underserved families
with computers, Internet access, and training during a six-year project
period.
Currently beginning its sixth year, the project has reached over 2,600
families, and will achieve its project goal by June 2003. Computers
for Families works in partnership with the Carpinteria Unified, Goleta
Union, Hope Elementary, and Santa Barbara Elementary and High School
districts.
Families are enrolled in the program on a class-by-class basis, supported
by teacher commitment to integrating technology into curricula and providing
data for project evaluation.
Other key partnerships have been key:
• Local businesses, government agencies, and individuals have donated
over 3,500 used computers for refurbishment and distribution to families.
• The Santa Barbara County Probation Department co-sponsors an
award-winning computer refurbishment program at Los Prietos Boys Camp.
At the camp, adjudicated youth learn computer technician skills and
refurbish donated computers.
• Bermant Development Company, MarBorg Industries, Mentor Corporation,
Raytheon Company, and Venoco, Inc. provide storage space for the hundreds
of donated computers refurbished on a monthly basis.
Santa
Barbara Partners in Education is a non-profit organization with members
from business, industry, government, elementary and secondary schools,
community colleges, and four-year colleges. Partners’ central purpose
is the development of outstanding graduates in the Santa Barbara area.
Major activities include: Adopt-A-School and Job Shadow Programs, Business-Education
Classroom Partnerships, Career Education and Career Day, Computers for
Families, Santa Barbara Academies, Student Internships, Teacher Externships,
and Virtual Enterprise Classrooms.
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