• Computers in Communities
    • Community Assistance
    • Education
    • Environment



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Students in Training is a 501-(c)(3) nonprofit corporation located in Salisbury, NC. Officially founded in early 2005, initial efforts can be traced to the late 90's, to serve the needs of at risk individuals and families through the delivery of free personal computer systems.

Students in Trainings primary initiative, Computers in Communities, was started in 1999 at a local high school. Since conception the program has grown at exponential rates, and provided in excess of 6,000 computers to at risk citizens in Rowan County NC.

Computers in Communities currently has an established five year expansion plan to address the needs of some 17,125 residents of Rowan County North Carolina who meet the federal standards for poverty. We anticipate delivery of 6,000 - 8,000 additional systems during this time period. (1)


The Process

Through cooperation with local businesses and institutions such as Food Lion LLC, WG Bill Hefner VA Medical Center, and Catawba College we collect used or off lease computer systems, refurbish the equipment, bundle a complete working system, and arrange delivery of the computer.

The refurbishment process involves both certified technicians and student volunteers. The student volunteers work hand in hand with the technicians throughout the entire build process learning invaluable skills.

Computers in Communities has the added benefit of reducing e-Waste in our local landfills. By collecting and reusing existing computer equipment we are in effect preventing the disposal of an estimated 8 tons of e-Waste per year in Rowan County. e-Waste is responsible for introducing some 660+ known toxins into the environment including substantial heavy metal concentrations.


Why is this important?

This is a common and fair question to address. We like to answer the question based on two sub classifications, adults and youths.

Children & Youths

For children and youths in our community it is imperative that they have regular, routine access and use of a computer. The simple, underlying truth is that nearly every study conducted since the late 80's has conclusively shown a direct correlation between student classroom performance and computer usage. These studies have been conducted by the US Department of Education, International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Boston College, University of Massachusetts, and many others.

Students who have regular, routine access to a personal computer have been shown, with statistical significance, to have substantially higher ratings on assessment exams beginning at the fourth grade. Youth who did not have routine computer interaction of at least 4 hours per week performed below those youths that did have the interaction.

Adults

For adults located in our at risk groups, the use of a personal computer is becoming nearly mandatory with each passing year. We are seeing major changes at local, state, and federal levels with regards to the delivery of common services. The lack of a personal computer places the average individual at a disadvantage when attempting to access governmental services.

Many members of our at risk group also qualify and make use of state and federal social programs. Many of these very same programs are transitioning to interactive internet based systems in order to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Without access to a personal computer many individuals experience extended delays in the processing of their application as they must fill out paper forms and/ or meet with department employees. The at risk group within our community that most needs these social programs face a distinct disadvantage when attempting to acquire access.

Additional benefits for adults include access to learn a new skill or skills through self study, interactive content, online degree programs. The number of computer based and internet based services, available today, is mind boggling. You can educated yourself on scripting, programming, cooking, management, basic business skills, etc. at a moment's notice. The number of educational institutions now offering distance learning courses has grown exponentially over the past several years.