FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- When Sgt. 1st Class Rudy Hass was told to exchange his section's old laptops for new ones he asked the question "what can we do with the old laptops'"
Instead of letting them go some place where they might sit for months without being used he registered them in the Department of Defense's computers for learning program.
Hass, a chemical noncommissioned officer at U.S. Army North, saw his work come to fruition when he presented 22 refurbished laptops to the kids and employees of St. Peter Prince of the Apostles school July 13, 2009, during a ceremony at Fort Sam Houston.
"I did this for the kids," said Hass. "I wasn't looking for any type of recognition. I just wanted to help the kids further their education."
"Sgt. 1st Class Hass came to our rescue and we're really excited about it because it is helping our children move forward in the world of technology," said Janette Salinas, vice principal at the school.
In February 2009 Sgt. 1st Class Hass starting working to find a way to put the laptops to better use and after doing much research found the computers for learning program.
Computers for learning takes older computers used by DoD, refurbishes them, and puts them up for grabs, first to other DoD organizations and then to schools registered in the program. Hass started with 126 laptops and ended up giving 22 of them to St. Peter Prince of the Apostles school, a catholic private elementary school in San Antonio.
Each laptop's estimated value was 3,200 dollars for a total of more than 70,000 dollars worth of computers. "It was Christmas in July for us. To have this many computers given to a school like St. Peters is unheard of. So for us it's a wonderful program that will definitely make a big difference in our children's lives," said Salinas.
"We're moving to (electronic) books. Our social studies text books this year will be online only. This will make all the difference in the world to us because we are really trying to phase out old text books," said Ann Lauder, St. Peter Prince of the Apostles Principal.
"These computers will be accessible to the kids all day so this will be great." The idea of moving away from textbooks and to electronic books is a plan Principal Lauder has to set up her kids for success when they get to high school and hopefully beyond high school to the college level.
This wasn't the first time the school was selected for the program though. Five years ago they received more than 15 computers from the computers for learning program. The computers are outdated now and both teachers and students are happy to get newer computer that are smaller and easier to move.
"Last year we didn't use laptops that much so now I'm looking forward to use laptops," said 11-year-old Bethany Bisnett, St. Peter Prince of the Apostles 6th grade student."
"We want to continue our partnership with Hass and the military and also want to support any families coming into to Fort Sam Houston," said Salinas.
Social Sharing