Scholarship Supports Refurbished Computers

Schoolwires, provider of strategic website and community management solutions, today awarded $26,250 in scholarships for the 2008/2009 school year as part of its Schoolwires Scholarship Program.

The scholarship funds were distributed among 38 Schoolwires customer districts. During the two-year period that the program has been under way, Schoolwires has awarded $60,000 to districts in scholarship funds. The districts choose the students they feel are the most deserving to receive the scholarships.

Brian Garber, a student at Radnor High School in Radnor, PA, received a $500 scholarship, which he used to support the school's Microsoft Authorized Refurbishers (MAR) program. The program was started by Garber and Clyde Diehl, one of the school's guidance counselors, to provide home computers to students who would otherwise not have one. Today, donations of older computers are accepted from the community and school district, and a group of Radnor students refurbish the computers after school under the direction of Nancy Holshue, faculty advisor, and Garber. To date, the group has refurbished and distributed more than 30 computers.

Garber used the funds to purchase peripherals and accessories to complement the refurbished computers. The items include surge protectors, refurbished inkjet printers, reams of paper, USB jump drives and mouse pads, all of which are provided as "starter packs" to students along with their computers.

For more information on MAR, visit http://www.rtsd.org/60020317161733237/site/default.asp

For more information on Schoolwires, visit www.schoolwires.com