For 16 years, Minds Matter Colorado has helped driven and determined high school students get into college with scholarships. This year is no different in that regard — today we’re kicking off our programming with our nearly 200 volunteers and students in Denver this week, and are putting the final touches on our first ever class of Colorado Springs mentors and mentees starting in October!
With all that’s going on in the world though, it’s clear that our program, just like so many schools and other educational programs, will look a bit different this year. To ensure our students are safe, healthy, and well, for the first time in our history all sessions will be held virtually throughout the school year. We want to make sure that we keep our students, mentors and staff as safe as possible during this unique and challenging time.
As you can imagine this shift to virtual sessions, many of our students who come from low-income families may struggle with technology access. At the same time it’s more important than ever that they have access to the latest technology. That’s why we’re kicking off the Chromebook Challenge! From September 15-30, we’re looking for your help to cover the costs of 80 new Chromebooks for our inspiring Minds Matter Colorado students.
Why do our mentees need new Chromebooks? While it’s true that many students have access to a laptop through their schools, these computers are often limited and may be restricted from using the latest programs and tools — including Zoom video conferencing and our Minds Matter suite of email and learning tools. In addition, students don’t own those computers; they belong to the school district and students must return them at the end of the school year, and therefore can’t use them during summer programs — one of the key supports Minds Matter provides to ensure our students are ready to succeed in college.
With computers purchased through the Chromebook Challenge, our mentees will receive their very own, state-of-the-art Chromebooks with all of the latest technology and access to programs like Zoom. They will be able to participate in all that Minds Matter Colorado offers – from virtual mentor sessions to test preparation – without any technology restrictions. Plus, mentees won’t just be using the Chromebooks throughout the school year, they will be given the laptops as their own personal property at no cost to them. This means they can use their Chromebooks throughout high school, during their summer programs at colleges and universities around the country, and even for their own college experiences when they start as freshmen. And, our mentees and their families won’t need to worry about the financial burden of buying a new computer.
For just $300 (that’s just $25/month!), you can sponsor a Chromebook for one of our deserving mentees. So click here and help us meet our goal of 85 Chromebooks. With your support, you can help 100% of the deserving Colorado students in our program break the cycle of poverty by getting into the college of their choice.
P.S. – If we hit our goal, we’ll be able to make a special announcement about another expansion of Minds Matter in Colorado. Donate today!
