Computers for Students
My students need your help! These students are recieving mental health treatment, sometimes following their entering into Child Protective Services.
During their stay at the facility, these kids are asked to continue getting an education without access to much needed classroom materials. These children already have so much stress in their personal lives, and an acute need for funding and access to resources hinders their ability to get an education, and start a professional life.
I am asking for donations to help fund 3 New Chromebooks for my classroom. This donation. Keep reading for more information!
My students
Some of these students come from the poorest regions of Hawaii. Sometimes, they come from Child Protective Services (CPS) following heart-breaking issues with their home life. They are in a behavioral health facility seeking mental health treatment. They range in age between just 4 and 12 years old. They will stay in this facility, away from home, between 1 and 4 months on average.
During their treatment, they are tasked with continuing their state-mandated education. However, due to hurdles frequently found in nonprofit organizations funds are hard to come by. Complicating matters further, the children in CPS must be protected by very strict security laws and measures, which often limits access even further.
These students are young and in desperate need of help both with their mental health, and with their education.
Why work on Computers? Why choose Chromebooks?
Computers are utilized more and more in classrooms across the nation, and the world. Training on computers not only prepares students for a modern, technology-driven world, but computers are a fast, efficient way for students to retrieve information as well as hand in homework.
Chromebooks are the most cost-efficient way to bring personal computers into the classroom. They are light, portable, affordable, and powerful laptop computers that can deliver the services we need. Chromebooks help spread the donated money to more computers, providing more help for these students, without sacrificing the functionality these students require.
These students, due to their unique situations, require computers to access their work. I work at a behavioral health facility, not a school. It is not equipped to instruct all of the students in-house. Students instead access a large portion of their educational materials online, seek instructional help at the facility, and hand in their work either online or by mail per techer.
However, there is an acute lack of funding because the facility is a nonprofit. This classroom currently only has 1 computer for up to 8 students, as well as their instructor. We are seeking donations to fill this gap. As it stands right now, these students are at an extreme risk of falling behind in their studies.
Why do you need a data plan? Can’t you use the facility's Wifi?
I must utilize a private data plan to give my students access to the internet. Due to HIPPA regulations, and the need to protect the private information of these children, we are not able to access the public WiFi in the facility. Doing so might expose the private information of these students. If their private information is exposed, they are open to further psychological, emotional, and perhaps physical harm.
These are highly at risk individuals, and careful precautions must be taken to keep these children safe!
What does $1000 Buy?
$1000.00 buys 4 chrome books, and 9 months worth of data. This amount would increase my students’ ability to produce work, and get an education, three times over.
Update:
In the past two years three Chromebooks have been purchased and some data has been payed for with the help of everyone who has donated. Most months I pay for data out of my own pocket, but every little bit helps. Thank you to everyone who has donated. We are still hoping to reach out goal of four chromebooks.
Summary
Funding computers and Internet access not only provides access to educational materials for young children, it helps protect these children from harm. Please donate now, and help these children on their road to both recovery and a better life through education!
