COMPUTERS FOR SCHOOLS

 an Oblate Partner's Project

“Education as the key to opportunity” is an accepted fact of American life.  Yet all too many children in this country – especially poor and minority children - receive second-rate schooling, in second-rate schools.

Several years ago a member of the Virginia Oblate Partners, Dennis Baumann, set about to rectify this situation in the Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi.  Dennis had a relative who was the principal of a Catholic school in the diocese.  The children had no access to computers, which set them behind the curve both in access to knowledge and in the development of employable skills.  He began small, accepting donations of used computers and parts, repairing them, and shipping them to Mississippi.  As an airline pilot, he had access to shipping capabilities – and he often had blocks of time off, which he began using to travel to Mississippi to help install the equipment and make it operational.

From small beginnings, great things can grow!  At this writing, Dennis and a growing network of co-workers have installed almost 1,000 computers in ten Catholic schools in the Mississippi delta.  Network equipment has been donated by companies such as CISCO Systems and COMPAQ Computer Corporation.  And members of the Jackson Area CISCO Users Group have donated many hours of their own time and expertise to helping with setup, and solving problems.  One member of the Users group is a college professor who has involved his students in wiring a school and helping with problem solving.  It is a win-win situation: the school gets help, and the college students gain practical experience!

The volume of computers which has been made available is attributable to a little-known program of the Department of Defense.  In 1998, then President Bill Clinton signed an Executive Order creating the School Transfer Program.  Under this program, the Department of Defense is directed to donate their used computer equipment and other educationally useful items to BOTH public and private schools which have been approved by the Defense Information Systems Agency.  Approved schools can now contact local military bases, make arrangements for the transfer – and simply drive to the base and pick up the designated equipment as it becomes available. 

The first Oblate school to tap into this program is St. Monica’s Elementary School in Opa Locka, Florida.  Dennis began working with the school in the spring of 2002.  In less than a year’s time, he has arranged for the school to receive nearly 35 computers, more than 50 monitors, 3 printers, 2 laptop computers, 1 scanner, 3 CISCO hubs, and a copy of Windows 98 S.E.  A server adequate to handle the load will also be provided, either through the Department of Defense, or by the Virginia Oblate Partners.  The plan is to have the entire system operational in time for the school year that begins in the fall of 2003.

More is involved than simply providing the hardware.  Many of the schools, including St. Monica’s, need to improve their infrastructure to accommodate the new equipment: improved power lines, data wiring, and even structural changes to accommodate a computer lab. As in the case of the Mississippi schools, much of this work at St. Monica’s is being done by a network of local volunteers.

The School Transfer Program, combined with volunteer assistance, can help to meet the needs of many schools that would not ordinarily be able to afford access to high-grade computer equipment.  For further information on this program, go to the website of Executive Order 12999, or contact Dennis Baumann at dcbaumann@compuserve.com.  It is hoped that the experience of the Jackson diocese, and of St. Monica’s Elementary School, can serve as a guide for other schools that would benefit from this program.