Fifth-graders get high-tech gifts
Fifth-graders get high-tech gifts: They receive their own home computers in a donation from QuickTrip.
By Andrea Eger, The
12/17/05
Only a few minutes had passed since Christian Jackson Meeks and her 89 fifth-grade classmates at KIPP Tulsa College Preparatory had learned that they would all be receiving a free home computer.
Then it occurred to her what she might be able to do with that computer, besides the hours of homework she has to do every night.
"I'm gonna be able to e-mail my dad from home now," she said, explaining that her father, Alex Meeks, had recently left for his second tour in
Christian said she has had to use her grandmother's computer for Internet access and to do assignments and reports for school because her family's home computer isn't working.
The convenience and luxury of a home computer for every KIPP student was made possible through a donation of unused computers by the QuikTrip Corp. and refurbishment and software installation by the Sunrise Rotary Club of Tulsa.
School officials surprised the students and their parents after KIPP Tulsa's Winter Extravaganza program on Friday afternoon.
After a music teacher led students through a host of songs and a few student achievement awards were handed out, Principal Millard House announced that there would be a drawing for a special prize.
Teachers distributed golden tickets with a number concealed inside to every student, and House unveiled the prize from behind the stage curtain: a home computer.
"I'm going to tell you a number and whoever has that number should hold their ticket up and wave it around like this," House said, demonstrating by waving his hand above his head as students giggled in anticipation.
He gave them a hint that the number was the year they would all be going to college.
They knew it by heart.
"2013!" the kids yelled, ripping open their tickets to find they all had the winning number.
Next, pandemonium.
All 90 students seemed to leap a foot and a half off the gym floor in unison, some crying, all screaming.
The few hundred parents and family members in the back quickly joined in the cheering and whooping -- and crying.
"I guess you know who had the number," House joked from the podium.
KIPP teachers cried as they watched their students celebrate.
Chris Truesdale, vice president of information systems for QuikTrip, told the students, "Enjoy these computers, learn from them and put them to good use."
Michael Briggs, director of community services for Sunrise Rotary, said he had read about KIPP Tulsa in the newspaper and contacted the new school because he wanted to do something to help.
He found out the school had received some free computers but officials couldn't do anything with them because they needed to be refurbished.
So Briggs asked his fellow Rotarians to help do the work and to donate money to purchase the software program Microsoft Office XP for Students for all of the computers.
"I've been looking forward to this for a long time," Briggs told the students about the surprise presentation.
He also encouraged them in their pursuit of a college education.
"You're never going to get anywhere if you don't have a specific goal in mind. So listen to your parents and teachers," Briggs said.
Christian Jackson Meeks said she had heard what Briggs and Truesdale had to say to her, and she wanted to say something back.
"I want to say thank you, thank you -- and I hope they do it again next year."
Andrea Eger 581-8470
andrea.eger@tulsaworld.com
| KIPP students Shante Johnson (left) and Miriam Fields leap into the air after they and their classmates learned they were all getting home computers. |
All About KIPP
KIPP Tulsa opened in August for fifth-graders only. It is part of a network of schools in the San Francisco-based Knowledge Is Power Program and is operated through a contract with Tulsa Public Schools. It is set to add one grade each year until it serves students in grades 5-8.
posted by Whitney Tilson at 9:28 AM
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