Lowe’s invests in 27J middle school technology

BRIGHTON – Forget individual laptops or iPads. For schools going without those luxuries, many are just trying to keep up with power demands that support 21st-century technology.

Photo by Emily Dougherty

Brighton Lowe’s store Manager Dino Rivera, right, and project specialist Paul Skaggs, left, stand with more than 10 Lowe’s employees to hand over a check for $100,000 to 27J Board of Education member Patrick Day during a board meeting on Oct. 25.

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    To help a few 27J schools meet those needs, a gift from Lowe’s has come out of the woodwork.
    School District 27J officials announced it received $100,000 grant from Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation Oct. 20.
    The Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant will provide Overland Trail and Vikan middle schools the chance to catch up with the instructional technology available at the district’s two newer middle schools.
    According to Joy Gerdom, 27J planning manager, the money will be used for materials and labor to install three centrally located, 42-circuit sub-electrical panels and branch circuits to each classroom. The improvements will provide extra power needed for additional computers, projects and other instructional technology equipment.
    The enhancement will also allow up to 15 standard desktop computers be plugged into the circuits in each classroom.
    The district’s 2008 middle school equity study identified that Overland and Vikan lacked the appropriate electrical capacity and power distribution to use the instructional technology available in the two newer schools.
    In fact, projectors, document cameras and other newer technological equipment for instruction have created power demands that probably weren’t conceived of when the schools were built in 1962 (Vikan) and 1984 (Overland Trail).
    When Brighton Lowe’s store manager Dino Rivera and project specialist Paul Skaggs approached the district a few months ago with information on the grant opportunity, Gerdom said district staff submitted a proposal entitled “Power for Instructional Equity” that targeted the deficiencies at the two middle schools.
    According to Gerdom, the $100,000 grant will be matched by available district funds to complete the project.
    Vikan Principal Ana Mendoza said, “During these times of drastic state budget cuts in education, we are extremely grateful for the money and the opportunity to provide our students and teachers with the same access to technology as other schools in the district.”
    Mendoza first heard that Vikan would be the recipient of this grant at the end of August.
    Overland Trail Principal Eric Lambright said the new equipment would increase their school’s electrical capacity, make it less prone to mini power surges and provide more wall outlets for every classroom.
    “Currently we are limited on the number of computers in non-computer labs due to a lack of electricity access,” Lambright said. “I think it is outstanding that Lowe’s has stepped up at a critical time for our school. This will benefit OTMS for years to come. I really appreciated how more than eight employees came to present to the board as well.”
    According to Gerdom, Lowe’s has funded many projects in the district through its Charitable and Educational Foundation, including site improvements at Pennock and Northeast elementary and Prairie View High School’s Skills USA and Geometry in Construction projects.
     “As store manger at Lowe’s in Brighton, I’m proud that the Lowe’s Charitable and Education Foundation awarded this grant to our local school system. These improvements will offer students tremendous new learning opportunities,” said Rivera. “At Lowe’s we take pride in improving the communities we serve. And, at a time when schools need the most support, Lowe’s is determined to do what we can to help schools meet critical needs.”
    The new equipment will be installed after the start of 2012, once proper city permits and contractor bids for the project are in hand.
    Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation started in 1957. In 2010, the organization, together with Lowe’s, gave away more than $30 million to support community and educational projects throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
    The store’s signature education grant program, Toolbox for Education, has donated $26 million to 6,000 K-12 public schools since 2006.
    In addition to providing the grant, Lowe’s employees have volunteered to prepare the classrooms for the project and assist in clean-up and minor wall repairs following the installation.
    For more information on Lowe’s charitable programs, visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility.

Contact Emily Dougherty at 303-659-2522 ext. 223 or edougherty@metrowestnewspapers.com.