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	The View A Heritage Newspaper Weekly Publication

SMS gets new lab and computers for students

Visteon, Cisco, IBM donated equipment, funds, and volunteers

By Jamie Banas, Staff Writer

PUBLISHED: January 13, 2005

Students of South Middle School are benefitting from the generosity of local businesses.

At the Nov. 8 board of education meeting, Principal William Houston accepted nearly $50,000 in donations from Visteon, Cisco and IBM to re-establish the school's computer lab.

Visteon contributed a $15,000 grant, which was used to purchase 10 IBM computers. In addition, IBM donated 22 computers, costing $32,000.

The Cisco Corporation donated a package of switches and routers with a wireless network system worth $8,000 for the new lab.

"With hardware and software of this caliber, our students will be able to have the necessary classroom training to develop information technology skills to talk them forward into the 21st century," Houston said at the November meeting.

"Additionally, our students- with their parents permission- will become partners with IBMers in an E-mentoring program to further their knowledge of information technology, career exploration and our career pathways curriculum."

On Dec. 18, volunteers from Visteon, IBM, Cisco and Van Buren Schools came together and completely renovated the school's new lab.

Among other improvements, the renovation included installing system software, new wiring, new curtains and painting the room.

"I sincerely hope that this is just the beginning of the partnership between these corporations and Van Buren Public Schools," Houston said.

"Such business and school relationships are paramount to the development and training of our students and their future as employees of such respected corporations."

At the meeting, Lorie Buckingham, senior vice president of global information technology for Visteon, said the Visteon Fund program supports education in 19 countries.

"(Visteon, IBM and Cisco) wanted to get together and focus on something local in Michigan," she said. "We make our living with computers and we hope this will enable us to give something back to the children."