STEM Alliance, Carver Center Deliver Chromebooks To Teens In Need

PORT CHESTER, NY — Students in Port Chester were given a much needed express on-ramp to the digital highway last week, thanks to a little help from Westchester advocates looking out for the future.

Last week, The STEM Alliance distributed 60 new Chromebooks to high school students at the Carver Center in Port Chester, advancing the group's efforts to bridge the digital divide in Westchester County. The distribution was made possible through a $90,000 grant through the Office of Children and Family Services and sponsored by Assemblyman Steve Otis.

STEM Alliance staff members were joined by Port Chester Mayor Luis Marino, Assemblyman Otis, and Carver Center CEO Anne Bradner. Each teenager received a new Chromebook during the event. Device ownership — not loanership — is associated with becoming a fluent tech adopter who can master a wide range of requisite skills in our digitally driven world, according to the organization.

"The STEM Alliance is a state and national leader in promoting digital inclusion programs, and Westchester communities are local beneficiaries," Otis said. "Providing laptops, training classes, and affordable broadband access are the three pillars of digital inclusion programs. We celebrate this great work with the distribution of these laptops today. I value the partnership I have with The STEM Alliance in supporting these programs. Making digital literacy possible is an important gift that provides the recipient opportunities previously unavailable."

Over the past two years, the partnership between The STEM Alliance and the Carver Center has been instrumental in providing STEM education and fostering digital equity among students and adults.

"Providing Chromebooks to our Teen Center members and participants is a valuable investment in their future," Carver Center Chief Program Officer Daniel Bonnet said, expressing gratitude for the partnership. "It equips them with essential skills, expands their educational opportunities, fosters creativity and innovation, and promotes social connection and personal growth. By empowering teens with access to technology, you are helping to shape confident, capable, and digitally literate individuals who are ready to thrive in the modern world. It is one step closer in closing the digital divide in our community."

About The STEM Alliance

The STEM Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing K-12 STEM education and enrichment initiatives to benefit students, parents and educators in schools and the community. Their stated mission is to bridge systemic gaps to provide equal access to critical science, technology, engineering and math learning resources with the goal of empowering communities, inspiring innovation and creating opportunity for all. Summer 2024 will be the eighth year of Co-Op leadership by The STEM Alliance. Find more information about The Stem Alliance here.

About Carver Center

For more than 75 years, the Carver Center has been committed to “building brighter futures” by serving, educating, and empowering families in the community. The center provides people of all ages with critical resources such as food, after school care, and education so they can tackle life’s challenges and succeed in today’s world. Learn more about the Carver Center and its transformative programming and services here.