Eight families with students who attend schools in the Santa Maria Valley went home with computers Wednesday thanks to an ongoing partnership between local businesses and educators.
The Santa Maria Valley Industry Education Council Business Appreciation Luncheon occurred Wednesday at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge with the theme of “Partnership Roundup!”
The event celebrated the working relationship between local businesses and schools.
One piece of the partnership is Computer Connections, a program involving the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Industry Education Council to equip needy youths with technology thanks to donations from businesses.
"This program was designed to provide technology tools to youth and their families that wouldn't otherwise have access so that they have the same opportunities to learn and to extend that learning into the home as they prepare for life as adults, " said Glenn Morris, the chamber's president and chief executive officer.
Basic computer literacy is a requirement in workplaces of the 21st century, he added.
Recipients were Roxanna Lopez, fifth grade, Arellanes Elementary School; Talita Barrera Villaneuva, fifth grade, Adam Elementary School; Jayson Flores, 12th grade, Righetti High; Marco Leon, 12th grade, Delta High; Arlette Delgado, fifth grade, Mary Buren Elementary School; Yadira Maceda, eighth grade, Kermit McKenzie Junior High; Sophia Soto, seventh grade, Lakeview Junior High and siblings, third-grader Adam plus fifth-graders Eilene and Nathan Lopez, Pine Grove School.
Since the program began in 2002, some 225 computers have been distributed to students and their families.
In addition, the luncheon included recognition of several local businesses highlighted by local districts for their support of schools in a variety of ways, including making sure students had easy access to get required vaccines or funding a school crossing guard to keep them safe.
"I'd like to start out by saying thank you to all the business partners in the room, because without you we couldn't do it on the education side," said Superintendent Ed Cora from the Guadalupe Union School District.
The special recognition awards went to:
» Ben Heighes, news director at KUHL/KSMA, by the Santa Maria Valley Industry Education Council.
» Tommy Minetti, Paul Silveira and The Ellen DeGeneres Show by the Guadalupe Union School District.
» Hanson Aggregates by the Blochman Union School District.
» Community Health Centers of the Central Coast, by the Santa Maria-Bonita School District.
» CoastHills Credit Union by Allan Hancock College.
» Cal-Coast Machinery by the Santa Maria Joint Union School District.
» Pacific Coast Energy Co. by the Orcutt Union School District.
The Industry Education Council is a nonprofit organization sponsored by the Santa Barbara County Education Office, and made up of business leaders and educators to provide support to local schools.
In addition to the fall luncheon, the organization hosts Principal for a Day each spring to let business and community leaders learn more about the challenges facing educators. The 2016 Principal for a Day will take place March 9.
Computers also are given away during that event to students through the Computer Connection program.
For more information about the group, contact its liaison, Peggy Greer, at 805.349.0443 or [email protected]
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
