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Schools

Radnor Students Give Back and Find Hope

Radnor MARS donated 50 laptops to low-income, college-bound Philadelphia students.

On Thursday, May 26, a group of Radnor high school students learned the importance of giving back when they donated 50 laptops to the graduating seniors of Summer Search Philadelphia to help them prepare for college. The seniors received their surprise gift in a ceremony at the annual Summer Search Spring Event at High School of the Future in West Philadelphia.

The endeavor was part of Operation Laptops, a program that began last year when Radnor MAR (Microsoft Authorized Refurbishers), a group of 12 students, refurbished and donated 40 PCs to the West Philadelphia Alliance for Children.

“The refurbished Apple laptops are tremendous gifts for the Summer Search graduates.  In today's techno-savvy world, a computer is a basic necessity,” said Radnor MAR’s founder, Brian Garber. “The laptops will enable the students to write papers in their dorms, access the Internet and take advantage of electronic resources at college.”

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In a city where only 10 percent graduate from college, the surprise contribution from MAR gave the 26 Summer Search high school seniors hope. Most of the students will be the first members of their family to attend college.

Summer Search Philadelphia is the newest branch of a 20-year-old national organization that recruits low-income sophomores from public schools and provides them with mentoring and leadership skills through their second year of college. The Philadelphia branch opened in 2006 and has provided more than 100 students with year-round mentoring, summer experiential education opportunities, and college and career advising.  This summer, 100 percent of Summer Search seniors will be graduating from high school and have enrolled in college.

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“Summer Search taught me how to trust in myself,” said Summer Search junior Comfort Adeyemi. “It helped me to push myself out of my comfort zone. If it wasn’t for Summer Search, I don’t think I’d be a member of my school’s National Honors Society.”

Comfort also attended a 16-day wilderness trip to Vermont through Summer Search that, according to Adeyemi, taught her how to become independent and self sufficient.

Amanda Jefferson, executive director at Summer Search, believes that both the laptops and the experiences that the students are receiving will greatly benefit them in college.

“These students don’t have a lot of things they need that a lot of the other college kids get,” said Jefferson. “These laptops will allow them to fit in and do the work they need to do and help them feel like they’re a college kid.”

According to Jefferson, the donation will also help the Radnor students see the values that Summer Search teaches their students and will help them feel like they are part of a bigger community.

MAR member, Jacob Ginsparg said he enjoyed helping the Philadelphia students.

“It feels very good to have helped the students and see them have a computer that they might not have had otherwise,” said Ginsparg, a sophomore.

Ginsparg will become executive director of the club next year and provide general oversight and leadership skills to the other members.

After a buffet styled meal, the Summer Search students and their parents gathered for the annual Summer Search Spring Event. The laptops were a surprise and many of the students burst into tears of joy.

In a special guest appearance, Summer Search founder Linda Mornell, was in attendance.

“These kids come from severe limitations and experience so much violence. This program gives them a chance to feel safe and experience a normal childhood during the summer," Mornell said.

The experience was uplifting and special for all who were involved.

MAR member and Radnor High School junior, Dalton Junior summed it up: “Seeing these kids graduate  shows that no matter where you live, where you come from or where your roots are, you can find as much success as anyone else.”

Watch the seniors receiving their computers here.

 

 

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