Doing whatever it takes to successfully prepare all students for their future...

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Evidence is mounting that having a home computer enhances students’ chances for success, yet the digital gap between students who can afford computers at home and students that cannot is getting wider. This is happening at a time when interpersonal and technology skills will fundamentally shape the 21st century workforce. The Kent School District (KSD) is doing something about it. To successfully prepare students for the digital world ahead of us, Kent School District is partnering with students, businesses, and community organizations to bridge the digital gap.

Every year, Kent School District students share in an incredible, multi-faceted project called Bridging the Gap. While learning about computer hardware repair and software maintenance, they refurbish old computers that no longer meet our school network standard, and grant them to students' families in our district who do not own a home computer.

The computers that were granted to families were loaded with Windows XP, Mircosoft Office 2003, Adobe Reader, AVG Anti-Virus, Flash Player, and Shockwave Player.  Families have the opportunity to take a short training class before taking their computer home.  Students will use the computers to do their homework and take assignments to and from school on disks donated by our business partners while supplies last. Click to view our current sponsors.

Students of all interests and abilities are welcome to participate in this project in one way or another. While some students do the technical work, others do data entry of applications, clean the computers, train the families on how to use the computers, translate for our many families who speak Spanish, Russian, Punjabi, Somali, Vietnamese, etc., while others help distribute the computers and carry them to cars.

Bridging the Gap offers equal access to technology for socio-economically disadvantaged students as well as leadership opportunities for student volunteers, while allowing the Kent School District to put their technical resources to good use instead of having to surplus them.