Eight Frank Porter Graham Bellingue Elementary School students and their families were given laptops and internet access as part of a new program called “Computers for All.”

“We run a higher percentage of poverty rate,” social worker Kerry Sherrill said.

“One of the things we noticed right away three years ago is that many of our students didn’t have access to the internet. So if we were asking them to practice their reading or their math through programs, which most elementary schools do, they weren’t able to do that in that way.”

Surveys done by Frank Porter Graham Bellingue found that 80 children, nearly 20 percent of the schools population, didn’t have access to a computer or internet in their home.

Thanks to an anonymous donation of 15 thousand dollars, the school set up the Computers for All program to combat this problem and help their students.

Participants were given a laptop and two years of free internet access once they completed an eight week course on how to use their computer.

“It doesn’t do much good to put a computer in a home and not have people know how to use it,” she said.

The eight computers will reach 20 kids in the district because the students in the program have siblings, who will also gain access.

“If you get things started at the ground level, whether it be computers, mental health or just general academics, then you don’t have to play catchup,” Sherrill said. “That was our theory in wanting the kids to have a level playing field.

During this two year pilot, the program will examine the impact that a computer has one performance of the enrolled students.

If you want to make a donation to the program, you can reach Kerry Sherrill by email, ksherill@chccs.k12.nc.us, or phone, (919) 942-6491 extension 37106.