Desert Knolls Elementary School Principal Crystal Schinhofen and Warden Richard B. Ives with the Federal Correction Complex in Victorville exchange a moment on campus after delivery of 50 computers to the school.
APPLE VALLEY — Students and staff at Desert Knolls Elementary School are excited after representatives from the Federal Correctional Complex and the Federal Bureau of Prisons recently visited the campus and donated more than four dozen computers.
According to Kristin Hernandez, spokeswoman for the Apple Valley Unified School District, the FCC in Victorville donated “50 gently-used computers” to the school, along with a new keyboard and mouse for each computer.
The donation, which was presented to school Principal Crystal Schinhofen at the conclusion of the school day on Wednesday, was made in connection with the Computer for Learning program.
“Everyone is really excited,” Schinhofen said in written statement. “We’re just thrilled to have this partnership.”
Schinhofen said the computers would be used throughout the campus for various purposes, such as establishing collaboration centers in several classrooms.
According to Hernandez, Warden Richard B. Ives, of the Victorville complex, explained that the Federal Bureau of Prisons is required to update their computers about every three years. Rather than dispose of quality equipment, the bureau has partnered with Computers for Learning, a presidential directive, which allows excess federal computer equipment to be donated to schools.
“It’s fun being able to do this because it’s really the kids that benefit,” Ives said.
Don Osborn, of the FBP, who drove the delivery truck to the campus, said the FCC’s Information Technology Department devotes a significant amount of time preparing the computers for school use. He said the IT staff carefully inspects each computer for quality, cleans the hard drives, and ensures that the computers are in excellent condition prior to the delivery.
Osborn hopes that the FCC’s involvement makes an impact on the community and on future generations. “You never know what one little computer could do for a student,” he said.
On Monday, Hernandez told the Daily Press that the computers were being set up in the classrooms this week, and that students and teachers were excited. Before the recent donation from the FCC, the Desert Knolls campus had 19 computers from the federal donation program.