Federal government donates 150 laptops to Colorado school district, 'It's a gamechanger'
Inside the robotics classroom at Rangeview High School in Aurora, senior Paul Afriyie and his classmates bring ideas to life.
"The thing about robotics, it's always been the way to transfer the benefits of software into the real life," Afriyie said.
And it's quite impressive what the robotics team has achieved given the fact they rely heavily on Afriyie's personal laptop for their creations.
"Having one laptop was one of our biggest limiting factors," Afriyie told CBS Colorado.
But, now, that's no longer the case thanks to the federal government. The U.S General Services Administration (GSA), which provides technology services to federal agencies among many other needs, operates the Computers for Learning program. When agencies have excess property -- such as computers -- they can be donated at no cost to schools.
"That is where we are able to take laptops that are in very, very good shape and give them to students who need them," explained Denise Maes, GSA Regional Administrator. "And that is a real important component as we try to educate our future."
Maes visited Rangeview High School on Tuesday, as more than 150 laptops were donated to Aurora Public Schools, the majority going to Rangeview to bolster the robotics, business and technology programs. Knowing he won't be part of the robotics team when he graduates this year, Afriyie said the laptop donation will ensure his favorite school club will be around long after he leaves.
"Once I take my laptop with me, I wondered, 'How are we going to continue?'" Afriyie said. "But this changes a lot. We can give them to other members, and they can program on their own ... It's a gamechanger."
More than a much-needed boost for the robotics team, the new laptops will also benefit students learning cybersecurity.
"What these allow us to do is really do anything we want within the realm of cybersecurity," said Michael Szalay, an instructor at Rangeview. "I think that's really important because cybersecurity is a field that is constantly evolving."
It's a field that has long interested Ben Volder, a junior at Rangeview, who can now get a more real-world experience using the donated devices.
"So like on these computers," Volder said, pointing to the desktops in the classroom, "we use a virtual machine, whereas with these [laptops] we're actually using the actual system. So this gives us a more hands-on experience."
Of the 150 laptops donated to Aurora Public Schools, 70 will be used at Rangeview, while the other 80 will be distributed to other schools across the district.
Volder agrees with Afriyie the new technology is a gamechanger, helping students today prepare for the tech jobs of tomorrow.
"I think it's pretty cool, and I'm very grateful for this opportunity," Volder said.