I.S. 232 Sixth Graders Get Free Home Computers Text and Photos By Bennett Silverman Every sixth grade student who attended a four-hour computer course at Winthrop Intermediate School 232 last Saturday went home with a refurbished desktop computer, courtesy of a not-for-profit organization. Each 6th grader, who came with a parent or guardian, was shown how to hook up computer components - (keyboard, mouse, modem and monitor), then received training from a master teacher from Computers for Youth. After completing the course, those students were allowed to take home the PCs they had worked on, to assist them with their studies and explore the World Wide Web. Computers for Youth (CFY) has been a New York City-based non-profit organization since 1999. The group's chief growth officer, Kris Berger, explained, "Our mission is to close the learning gap between low income students and their more affluent peers by providing home computers, and using those computers to improve the learning environment at home." Used computers are donated to CFY by major corporations: law firms, investment banks and media companies. The organization completely refurbishes each PC with a fully-licensed Windows 2000 operating system. Berger estimated that during the current school year, CFY will serve 2000 families in 14 public schools across the city. (Clockwise from top left) Students and parents get a lesson on Internet use. Eleven-year-old Zhan Duncan catches on quickly with a little help from 6th grade teacher Kerri Thompson; principal Ingrid Thomas-Clark is flanked by assistant principals Bernard Addo (left)and Donald Don; Student Keyana Hunte and her father, George, learn side-by-side; Principal Clark and CFY's Kris Berger are all smiles knowing they've accomplished something that will help sixth graders become better students. I.S. 232 sixth graders left the course with a computer loaded with educational software, at no cost to them. In addition, the students will have Internet access, additional training and ongoing support to ensure the computers become a tool for academic success. Berger said that her organization believes that the use of the computers at home will have a ripple effect in classroom learning and general achievements. After the event, Winthrop principal Ingrid Thomas-Clark said, "We are fortunate to have Computers for Youth as a program which allows each of our sixth graders to get a free desktop computer. We applied for the grant and we got it. We are in the dinosaur age when it comes to the use of computers. Many of our families do not have a computer at home and when they go to the library they have to wait a long time to get use of a computer, then they only get 20 minutes." Thomas-Clark expects that having home computers will inspire students and motivate them to learn more.