Spring Break
Grad students provide tech support, recycled computers
Program helps students own computers
CHRIS MILLER for The Red & Black
Issue date: 9/29/08 Section: Variety
Although he was unfamiliar with the program at first, Powell said he found an appreciation for it during the summer.
"Computers and the Internet are such a core part of the workforce and a lot of people are actually shut out of that in the Athens area, and empowering them with computers can really offer a lot of advantages."
Recently, Free IT Athens has sought this kind of empowerment for students in the Clarke County School District.
Pitts contacted Virginia Jewell, the district's director of technology integration, last spring to ask about a possible partnership.
This partnership resulted in Clarke County schools donating 96 retired desktop computers, of which Free IT Athens cleaned hard drives and installed open source software and basic computer programs that can be downloaded for free.
Jewell said these computers were then distributed to Clarke County students for $25, which covered distribution costs.
Several hundred more computers are being processed to be distributed this year.
Free IT Athens also sells donated and reprogrammed computers to individuals for $50-100. Twelve hours of volunteer time with the organization merits a free computer.
The group also maintains open hours at the Common Ground office on 157 Newton St., Wednesdays 5 to 7 p.m. and Sundays 1 to 5 p.m., during which they provide services such as general trouble-shooting, virus protection and hardware installation.
This service is free to open source users. For users of operating systems such as Mac OS X and Windows, there is a $10 suggested donation.
"Computers and the Internet are such a core part of the workforce and a lot of people are actually shut out of that in the Athens area, and empowering them with computers can really offer a lot of advantages."
Recently, Free IT Athens has sought this kind of empowerment for students in the Clarke County School District.
Pitts contacted Virginia Jewell, the district's director of technology integration, last spring to ask about a possible partnership.
This partnership resulted in Clarke County schools donating 96 retired desktop computers, of which Free IT Athens cleaned hard drives and installed open source software and basic computer programs that can be downloaded for free.
Jewell said these computers were then distributed to Clarke County students for $25, which covered distribution costs.
Several hundred more computers are being processed to be distributed this year.
Free IT Athens also sells donated and reprogrammed computers to individuals for $50-100. Twelve hours of volunteer time with the organization merits a free computer.
The group also maintains open hours at the Common Ground office on 157 Newton St., Wednesdays 5 to 7 p.m. and Sundays 1 to 5 p.m., during which they provide services such as general trouble-shooting, virus protection and hardware installation.
This service is free to open source users. For users of operating systems such as Mac OS X and Windows, there is a $10 suggested donation.
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