|
ConnectKentucky
OWSLEY COUNTY STUDENTS RECEIVE FREE, REFURBISHED COMPUTERS AND LEXMARK PRINTERS
Comm. Mike Inman Delivers 54 Computers and Lexmark Printers for No Child Left Offline Program
Booneville, Ky.; May 12, 2006: Today, 54 Owsley County eighth-grade students and their families received free home computers, software and printers through the No Child Left Offline program. The Owsley County distribution marks the fifth distribution of computers through the innovative program. No Child Left Offline recycles and refurbishes surplus state computers and distributes them to eighth graders without computers at home.
"Technology plays an essential role in a child's education," said Commonwealth Office of Technology Commissioner Mike Inman, who was on hand to deliver the computers. “No Child Left Offline helps to close the gap for children who otherwise wouldn’t have access to a home computer, allowing students and their families to continue learning outside of the classroom.”
No Child Left Offline brings together public and private partners to help all Kentucky households join the Information Age. The program is the most comprehensive initiative of its kind undertaken by any state in the nation. It ensures that thousands of computers will be saved from landfills and used for the benefit of Kentucky families.
Today, approximately 215,000 Kentucky children live in homes without computers. No Child Left Offline is designed to help those families, providing access to technology where there is the greatest need. For many families, owning a computer is the first step to reaching the world of opportunities available through the Internet.
ConnectKentucky, a non-profit organization that promotes technology-based economic development in the Commonwealth, is coordinating the project with operational support from the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Kentucky Department for Innovation and Commercialization. Additional state support is provided by the Education Cabinet, the Commonwealth Office of Technology and Kentucky Correctional Industries. Microsoft Corporation, CA, Inc. and Lexmark International donated software and printers to the project.
To date, nearly 900 No Child Left Offline computers have been distributed in five Kentucky counties. ConnectKentucky plans to distribute 2,000 refurbished computers to Kentucky eighth graders in 2006. Owsley County will be the final No Child Left Offline distribution for the 2005-2006 school year. Distributions will resume in the fall of 2006. Groups interested in participating can submit requests to nclo@connectky.org.
# # #
About ConnectKentucky: ConnectKentucky is leading the way into a new economy for Kentuckians. As an independent technology-based economic development organization, ConnectKentucky works to ensure that Kentucky remains the place of choice to work, live and raise a family. ConnectKentucky is an alliance of technology-minded businesses, government entities, and universities working together to accelerate technology in the Commonwealth.
|