March 2000 articles
By Dan Beauchemin

As it becomes increasingly apparent that knowledge of computers, software, and the Internet will be essential to success in the coming century, schools are placing more emphasis on computers in the classroom. But even with the price of computers dropping, they are common only in schools serving higher-income areas. Too often, inner-city schools can't even afford books and school supplies, let alone computers, and their students fall farther and father behind in the race to build skills and experience in the wired world.

Enter Computers for Youth, a Manhattan-based non-profit organization. Founded in 1997, Computers for Youth is taking action to help disadvantaged schools and students gain the invaluable computer skills they will need. Its executive director, Elisabeth Stock, has plenty of experience broadening the electronic horizons of the disadvantaged: Before joining Computers for Youth in February 1999, Stock helped build the Nationwide Computers for Learning Program, which allowed federal agencies to donate surplus computers to needy schools.

Computers for Youth has two main initiatives: Project Patchwork and Project Enhance. Project Patchwork focuses on putting computers into homes of needy students and getting both parents and kids accustomed to their use. Each home receives a personal computer, software, email accounts for family members, and Internet service for a trial period. Technical support is provided via telephone or email. Project Patchwork also provides a virtual community where the students can teach parents skills, help build a family budget, write a résumé, or build a home page. Community members can chat with others online.

Project Enhance places computers into New York City public schools for educational use in the classroom. Computers for Youth donates 20 computers to each of its partner schools; the schools must purchase or provide necessary software. The computers are inspected to ensure that they are in good working order, and any software or existing files are removed to comply with licensing agreements and to protect younger students from offensive material. The repairs and inspections are performed by co-op students at the School for Cooperative Technical Education, a vocational school near East Harlem.

By partnering with major companies such as Lotus, C3I, iVillage, IDG Books Worldwide, Solid Oak Software, and Microsoft, Computers for Youth provides complete technological support. The organization also has partnerships with the New York City Board of Education, New York Cares (a nonprofit organization that recruits volunteers to help with team projects), Big Brothers and Big Sisters of New York City, and iMentor.

Computers for Youth does not accept requests for computers. The organization selects schools in low-income areas to receive donations or takes requests from school principals for Project Patchwork. Criteria for selection include the following: The school must serve a predominately low-income student body (as measured by the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price school lunch), and it must be located in an underserved neighborhood of New York City.

To find out more about donating, volunteering, becoming a mentor, or any other way of contributing to this program, visit Computers for Youth's website at www.cfy.org.