By Daniel Lim, EqOpTech Intern
EqOpTech of Los Altos, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit donated 56 refurbished laptops to middle school students living in East Palo Alto, most of which have never owned a laptop before.
Students standing in a circle were thrilled with their new laptops with Kevin Gao, EqOpTech President, standing in the back.
Many children have never owned a laptop, so they are unable to do research projects or homework assigned to them at school. To make do, they have to borrow their parents’ smartphones when they are home to complete their work. However, the screens are too small and cause a strain on the eyes, not to mention the fact that the keyboards are tiny and unwieldy; a proper laptop is much better for work. The EqOpTech students-help-students program seeks to benefit needy students with technology tools and training to enhance their ability to excel academically. Since 2015, EqOpTech has launched a program to recycle, refurbish and redeploy unwanted laptops to support and teach the Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) program benefiting underserved students in San Jose, Mountain View, Los Altos and East Palo Alto.
Each of EqOpTech’s Macbooks have been refurbished to replace their outdated Mac OS software. Students will now have easy access to computers for home use to take online classes such as Khan Academy and collaborate with classmates in online homework and research. With our laptops, these children can do research at home and write essays using their laptops rather than having to go out to libraries to use public computers. Now, the students can independently browse the internet without needing to borrow the smartphones of their parents, and for as long as they want. We hope that through our laptops donation program, the children will not only open up new opportunities but also empower them to better their own lives with technology.
About EqOpTech
EqOpTech Inc. is an IRS-designated tax exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that enables free, equal opportunity learning via access to technology in under-served community. EqOpTech provides easy access to computer hardware, software, and mentor support in STEM education. For more information, visit www.EqOpTech.org. Follow EqOpTech on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.
Our Equal Opportunity Technology program is made possible thanks to Los Altos Community Foundation community grant award.
Visit here for more information.