AlphaUSA helps Livonia Kids and Families provide computers for Clarenceville Schools

Livonia Kids and Families have raised $52,000 to purchase upgraded computers for teachers at the Clarenceville School District in Livonia, which is one of the oldest school districts in Michigan, opening in 1837. The current Chromebooks that the teachers are using will be repurposed and reconfigured to give them to the students. 

AlphaUSA along with other partners are spearheading the fundraising program to purchase the computers. Their goal is to raise $90,000. The partners include Masco, 3M Corporation, Livonia AM Rotary, Kiwanis Early Risers, St. Mary’s Hospital Staff, Marsh McLennan, Strumbos Family (founders of AlphaUSA), Livonia Community  Foundation, Fausone Bohn Law Firm, Level One Bank, Community Choice Credit Union, Kroger, Livonia Jaycees and several other partners who have been very generous in their support of Livonia Kids and Families.

“This has been a tough year for everyone especially our teachers and students,” said Veronica Cruz with AlphaUSA. “We wanted to do what we can to help the school district adjust to this ‘new normal’ we have been forced to live in due to COVID-19. We are so excited to be able to do this for these students and teachers.”

The school district will repurpose current Chrome books for students. “It’s really a win/win,” said Bill Joyner, founder of Friday Musings and on the board of Livonia Kids and Families. “With the donation, we can purchase 76 upgraded computers and the school district is purchasing 24 more which give the teachers 100 new computers. They are able to purchase the computers with a vendor that gives them a discount.”

Seventy-Six teachers will be provided an upgraded computer providing them proper resources for the upcoming curriculum.  The current 100 Chromebooks that are being used by teachers will be reconfigured for the students.  “We hope to generate an additional $38,000 to purchase the last 100 Chromebooks for students and 24 computers for the teachers,” said Cruz. “This will allow  Clarenceville to provide one computer to each student and teacher.”

The Clarenceville Board of Education held a special meeting on Monday, August 3,  2020 and made the difficult decision to begin the 2020-21 school year with a Remote Learning platform.  Currently the plan is to have students attend remotely for the first semester of this school year.

This is the biggest financial donation the district has received in recent years. 

Clarenceville Superintendent Paul K. Shepich expressed his gratitude “for bringing this opportunity to our school district,” he said. “It means a great deal to our students and staff. The purchasing of these laptops will indeed help support our teachers in their instructional practices as we work to deliver our curriculum remotely.  The fact that we will be moving very close to a “one to one” computer to student ratio is necessary in our new educational reality. I cannot show enough appreciation to the community businesses and non-profits who are so generously supporting our teachers and students.”

Dan Maciver, parent of two students who have graduated from Clarenceville, one this year, and one just starting 9th grade, said as the plan was being put in place, “$52,000 for computers. I am going to cry. This is unbelievable.”