October 12, 2008

Students Get Laptops Despite Burglars

Posted By: Catherine Kim

ATLANTA—In May, students at KIPP WAYS Academy in West Atlanta counted down the days. Computers For Youth had collected 148 donated laptops for their students like Asile Patin.

They were down to one more day until they received them, when burglars broke into the Computers For Youth warehouse and stole them.

“We were this close to getting our laptops,” said Patin.

“A lot of the students here, they do not have internet access. They don’t have computer access,” said Elisa Davis, Patin’s mother.

For 5 months, Patin had waited, wanted this moment.

“There’s not many people that get free laptops. You know, we have to pay for it and there’s a catch to it. There's just no catch. No strings attach,” said Patin, who is 7th grade with a grin.

Students at KIPP WAYS Academy stay in school for 10 hours a day, 6 days a week for 344 days a year. But like many parents there Davis is a single mom of two, has a full-time job, and until now, giving Patin her own laptop was impossible.

“There were no plans in being able to have 2 computers, one for school and one for life. It wouldn’t have been possible without Computers for Youth today,” said Davis.

Police never caught the burglars. But Computers For Youth through their donors collected and refurbished more than 120 laptops. Again. Each computer is loaded with interactive educational games, so Patin and dozens of other 6th, 7th, and 8th graders at KIPP WAYS Academy could learn and engage with their parents.

For Asile, it’s a tool that goes beyond the classroom, a gift of knowledge no one can steal.

Computers For Youth expects to give computers to another 6 schools this year, donating laptops and desktops to 900 students from low-income families.

Watch the clip on the 11Alive website.