Each year, the Georgia 4-H Youth Technology Leadership Team, part of UGA’s Cooperative Extension, tries to award 50 computers to Georgia students. Thanks to a service-learning grant from State Farm, the computers this year will include modems, printers and speakers.
The $25,000 State Farm grant will help the Georgia 4-H Foundation improve access to higher education for Georgia students, too.
The grant will allow the technology team to purchase a mobile lab and hold free Internet education classes statewide. The classes will teach students how to effectively use technology and about the Internet, social networking safety and cyber bullying.
“Georgia is a high-need area with 91 of our 159 counties declared in persistent poverty,” said Cheryl Varnadoe, a UGA Cooperative Extension 4-H specialist who leads the technology team. “We feel that this grant opportunity will allow many youth and families a new start to reaching their dreams for the future.”
Through the Need-A-Computer program, the 4-H technology team has awarded more than 400 refurbished computers over the past 11 years.
