Schools say thank you to Yahoo!
Company gets off on the good foot with Sunnyvale 'Buddy Program'
By Daniel Hindin
Jarvis E. Bishop Elementary School found itself a lucrative corporate partner this year.
High-tech, heavy hitter Yahoo! recently donated $50,000 toward a new computer lab for the school. They have also promised another $50,000 to Lakewood Elementary School, to be donated next spring.
"Yahoo! has been very generous," says Sunnyvale Elementary School District Deputy Superintendent Ben Picard. "We are really excited about this very nice addition to our schools."
The $100,000 grant is the first of its kind that Yahoo! has given. Yahoo! officials call it a sort of homecoming gift.
"We had our first office in Sunnyvale," says Yahoo! representative Kate Grant. "Now that we're moving our headquarters back here in the spring, we wanted to participate as a good corporate citizen."
"The computers came last week, and we're setting them up right now," says Bishop Principal Frances Dampier. Her school received 32 brand new Dell computers with Internet connections and several laser printers. "The lab was set up in a newly renovated classroom with new carpet, new paint and new shelves!" says Dampier.
Dampier says that all 682 students in the K-5 school will have access to the computers for reports, or just to gather information. Teachers will be able to sign up and bring their entire classes in for computer sessions. The students also will be able to turn to a staff computer aide for assistance.
Yahoo! officials say they contacted the schools because they wanted to set up good relations in their new home city.
Picard says that the money was designated for these two schools because they are the ones with the greatest need for new equipment. He says, "We want to get equal access for our schools to institutional technology equipment."
Although this is the first time Yahoo! has donated computer equipment to schools in their area, they had a previous volunteer program with local schools. While they were based in San Jose, Yahoo set up a 'Buddy Program' in which volunteers from the company would buddy-up with entire classrooms at Lester Shields School in Alum Rock.
"We made it clear to the schools that this monetary donation was only a one time thing," says Grant. "$100,000 is a lot even for Yahoo!. But we have many employees who are committed to doing things for the community. We plan on continuing our 'Buddy Program' in Sunnyvale as a long-term project."
Grant also notes that, although they are moving from their San Jose offices, the volunteer program with Lester Shields will continue indefinitely.
Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
