14 Mar 2003
Distribution Begins at 9 a.m.
DALLAS—The Dallas Independent School District students and parents at the Joseph. J. Rhoads Learning Center will leave school on Saturday, March 15, with a tool that will enhance their learning and overall school experience.
More than 500 computers, donated by the Foundation for Community Empowerment and Bank of America, will be distributed to school families at 9 a.m. The school is located at 4401 Second Ave.
Guests at the distribution are Area Superintendent Shirley Ison-Newsome, William L. Rollings, Foundation for Community Empowerment and Don Smith, DISD Technology Services. The computer donation was coordinated through the district's Connect-a-Student-to-Technology program. CAST's goal is to provide a computer to every family in the school district.
This year, J. J. Rhoads Learning Center was named an Exemplary school by the Texas Education Agency, the agency's highest ranking. They were named Recognized by the agency in 1999, 2000 and 2001. In addition, the National Alliance of Black School Educators named Rhoads Learning Center one of only 13 National Demonstration sites in the country.
J. J. Rhoads Principal Michael Palmer said that he is grateful to receive the computers for the students and families. "With the increased academic challenges and the demand for more skills, it will be an added benefit to have access to the resources available through the Internet," he said. " Our students work hard at school and having computers at home will mean that their efforts to learn and excel do not have to end at the end of the school day."
Don Williams, founder—Foundation for Community Empowerment, said that although computer literacy is an absolute requirement for our future workforce, many children don't have access to this valuable asset.
"We believe that all children in Dallas deserve a chance to learn the skills they will need for a strong productive future. To help bridge the digital divide, we are very excited about our partnership with DISD to better equip students in the South Dallas/Fair Park community to compete in the new technology based society in which we live."
FCE's commitment to providing computers to 14 South Dallas schools began in 2001 with a donation of 1,000 computers.
Recent statistics show that 46 percent of Texas households do not own a computer and in schools where computers are available, there are 5.9 students for every Internet-connected computer in the classrooms.
"This has been an excellent partnership between DISD South Dallas schools and the Foundation for Community Empowerment," said Shirley Ison-Newsome, Area Superintendent. "The addition of the district's CAST program to this equation enhances this opportunity for our students significantly."