ConnectKentucky’s Computers 4 Kids Program Facilitates Computer Refurbishment, Donation in Greenup County
In Greenup County, students lead the way for 150 families to soon receive computers, printers, thanks to Greenup County Schools, Rep. Tanya Pullin, AT&T-Kentucky, ConnectKentucky
Greenup, KY. (January 25, 2011)— Greenup County students are getting a unique chance to give back to their community while learning valuable IT job skills. Today, ConnectKentucky’s Computers 4 Kids program announced that 150 refurbished computers will be donated to Greenup County families, as part of a computer refurbishing program underway at Greenup County High School.
Rep. Tanya Pullin (D-South Shore), Greenup County school officials, AT&T-Kentucky President Mary Pat Regan, and ConnectKentucky Executive Director René True gathered at Greysbranch Elementary to announce the donation and the innovative way in which the computers are made available. Funding for this new program is facilitated by ConnectKentucky through a grant from AT&T-Kentucky.
The Greenup County program is unique. The Greenup County Public School system will take older computers from throughout the school system and upgrade them through a computer refurbishment program for teens at Greenup County High School.
High school students will be trained on how to refurbish the computers, which otherwise would have been headed to a local landfill. The students, who are seeking A+ certification in information technology, will reformat the hard drives, install new memory, and make other upgrades to the machines.
The computers will then be distributed to disadvantaged families as identified through the Family Resource and Youth Service Centers in Greenup County. Along with the computers, recipients will receive a printer donated by Lexmark International.
“Greenup County school officials and Rep. Pullin should be commended for taking the initiative to provide home-based technology resources for children and families in their district,” said True. “Old computers will not be trashed, but instead repurposed to teach school children useful technology skills in an environmentally friendly way.”
“This is the perfect example of private and public spheres collaborating to benefit our children,” said Rep. Pullin. “Education doesn’t begin and end during the school day, and this will help 150 families give their children a boost toward a better life. This is an investment in the future of all our citizens. In that sense, it’s one of the smarter economic development projects we can champion, and I am pleased to play a role in it.”
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Related Links:
News Article: Computers to be upgraded by students for home use (Portsmouth Daily Times, 01/23/2011)
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