Donated Computers Help Launch Engineering Academy at Santa Barbara High School
Providence Christian School received 10 refurbished computers as part of Edison International’s Computers for the Community program
Ben may be 12 years old, but he’s already learning to build robots. And he can only build them if his school has the proper computer equipment and software.
Computers “are more captivating and interactive than books are,” said the seventh-grader who recently completed an introduction to engineering class at Providence Christian School in Santa Barbara.
That’s why students like Ben were excited about the 10 newly refurbished computers donated to the school by Edison International. The computers also came fully loaded with Windows 7 software.
The school planned to use the equipment to help launch a new engineering academy for their ninth- to 12th-grade students. The academy will teach 3D design, coding and aerodynamic design.
“We have lots of plans for them,” said Rodney Meadth, Providence’s dean of students.
Meadth, 31, stumbled upon Edison International’s Computers for the Community program though an Internet search. The school met all the requirements and he quickly applied. The computers are now at the school and ready for the academy’s first wave of students.
An aerospace engineer by training, Meadth knows the value of a STEM (science, technology, engineering or math) education. He especially understands the impact engineering has on real-world applications.
“I love the creativity of it,” he said. “It uses math and science and it takes it one step further and can help solve real-world problems.”
Last year, Edison International donated more than 1,200 computers to 232 nonprofits and schools.
For more stories, visit Edison's Online Newsroom.
To learn more about Edison's philanthropic programs, read Power in Partnerships: Community Investment Report 2014.
