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News

Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Parent Training

At the end of January 37 parents completed 3 weeks of computer training and received a refurbished computer, which CfAL installed in their home. In addition to in home installation, these families will also receive a year of technical support. All of this is at no charge.

Parents who have children attending public schools in Bridgeport, Hartford, Meriden, New Haven and Waterbury, are eligible to attend six sessions of computer training. Training covers computer hardware, software, how to use a mouse, word processing, budgeting, email and Internet navigation.

These parents will receive a Certificates of Completion for attending the "Computers Can Be Fun" course. Within a few days after graduating, these parents will also received a computer, which CfAL will install in their home.

Training sessions are help monthly. For more information, please contact Curtis Hill, 203-410-3679.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Northeast Utilities Computer Donation
Through the generosity of Northeast Utilities, CfAL received a donation of 20 refurbishable computers.

These computers will be used to help disadvantaged Meriden Public School children improve their education, by getting their parents more involved in their education at home, and by extending learning beyond the classroom.

Twenty parents will receive computer training. Upon completing 10 hours of training, they will be given a refurbished computer, donated by Northeast Utilities that we will install in their home.

Thank you NU!

Thursday, January 12, 2012
The United Illuminating Company and Southern Connecticut Gas
Earlier this week, we received good news that The United Illuminating Company and Southern Connecticut Gas have awarded CfAL with a $1,000 grant. This is good news for CfAL but also for disadvantaged families, who have children attending the Ross/Woodward School in New Haven that do not have a working computer in their home.

This grant from The United Illuminating Company and Southern Connecticut Gas is in recognition of their commitment to improving communities where its customers and employees live and work.

Through this grant, 8 families will receive computer training, and upon completing training, they will be given a refurbished computer, which we will install in their home, along with giving them a year of technical support.

The goal of the program is to enhance these parents' participation in their children's education at home, extend learning beyond the classroom, and help close the "digital divide".

Thank you The United Illuminating Company and Southern Connecticut Gas for investing in the education of low-income students attending New Haven Public Schools.

Thursday, January 12, 2012
Protective Life Foundation
We are very pleased to let you know CfAL has received a $2,500 donation from the Protective Life Insurance Company.

The donation will be used to help us achieve our mission, by directly helping disadvantaged public school children in Hamden and New Haven improve their education. More specifically, the donation will be used to help us sustain our parent computer program, called Technology Cascade & Training.

Can you imagine in this day and age not having a working computer or the means to pay for training and a computer? Since computers and the Internet have assumed such a central role in our schools, workplaces and homes, computer literacy has become perhaps the most important skill for adults and children alike. It is no wonder that disadvantaged families in our poorest cities struggle to survive.

How can we help? Through our Technology Cascade & Training Program, CfAL has instructed more than 2,000 disadvantaged parents how to use a computer. Upon completing training, CfAL gives the parents a refurbished computer, along with a year of technical support. The primary purpose of the program is to significantly increase parents’ involvement in their children’s education, at home. The program also extends learning beyond the classroom and simultaneously helps close what is referred to as the “digital divide”.

The Protective Life Foundation and CfAL are working together to improve children’s education and strengthen the vitality of impoverished neighborhoods in Hamden and New Haven.

Thank you Protective Life for your donation.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Connecticut Community Foundation Grant Award
We are very pleased to let you know CfAL has been awarded a $10,000 grant by the Connecticut Community Foundation. The purpose of the grant is to start up and sustain our parent computer program in targeted public elementary schools in Waterbury. This is exciting news for CfAL and also for the many disadvantaged families, who have children attending public schools in Waterbury that do not have a working computer in their home.

Through this grant an initial 40 families will receive computer training, and upon completing training, they will be given a refurbished computer, which we will install in their home, along with a year of technical support.

The goal of the parent computer program is to increase parents' involvement in their children's education at home, extend learning beyond the classroom, and help close the "digital divide". In terms of internet access, parents will be encouraged to sign up for Comcast Internet Essentials, which gives them the opportunity to purchase high speed internet service for $9.95 a month.

We would like to thank the Connecticut Community Foundation for having the confidence in our organization to award this grant, and investing in the education of disadvantaged students attending Waterbury Public Schools.

Saturday, October 29, 2011
2,000th Family
On October 26th, Valerie Welllons got quite a surprise when she found out she was the 2,000th parent to participate in CfAL's parent computer program. That evening Valerie completed 10 1/2 hours of computer training, received a Certificate of Completion, and printer and speakers to go along with the computer that CfAL installed in her home on October 29th.

As the computer was being installed in her home, you could hear Valerie say to her 15 year old son, Shawn,"the computer is for educational purposes only, and not games".

Valerie's achievement will be featured in our upcoming newsletter.

Please know the parent computer program was designed to increase parents' involvement in their children's education, extend learning beyond the classroom, and help close the "digital divide". All these objectives lead to our goal of improving educational outcomes of public school children.

Please contact us if you have any questions.

Thank You!

Monday, October 03, 2011
Now in Meriden!
On October 3rd, 9 proud parents completed 10 1/2 hours of basic computer training, at the Roger Sherman School in Meriden. This class was the first to graduate in Meriden.

Tom Bruen, from the Meriden Board of Education, handed out Certificates of Completion to the graduating parents. These parents also received a refurbished computer that was donated by Northeast Utilities.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Minimum Configuration

Concepts for Adaptive Learning accepts computer systems, processors and monitors, that must be working, and meet the following minimum configuration level:

1. IBM compatible Pentium IV level systems, no MACs, that have processors running at 1.6 GHz or faster.

2. with 256 megabytes of memory (RAM) or larger

3. with a hard drive that is 30 gigabytes or larger

4. with a CD-ROM drive

5. For Monitors, they must be 17 inch and color, without cracked cases or scratched screens.

If you are a corporation or university and have refurbishable computers to donate, or have any questions as to whether the system you are considering donating meets these requirements, please contact Curtis Hill at 203-410-3679.

Thank you,