Latino outreach program purchases more than 1,000 Chromebooks for East End students

OLA of Eastern Long Island, a regional Latino outreach program, has donated more than 1,000 Chromebooks to four local school districts to help bridge an economic gap as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced schools into distance learning.

OLA said the idea, which will also benefit non-Latino students, came from reaching out to East End districts two weeks ago to see if there was a need for the support.

“While many districts had enough iPads or Chromebooks for all students in need, some districts were not in a position to provide a device for all students,” OLA executive director Minerva Perez said in a press release. “There was no way for schools to be prepared for such a situation. We were fortunate to have a funder who fully supports OLA’s mission that highlights education as well as advocacy and the arts.”

OLA has purchased and will donate over 1,000 Acer Chromebooks to four East End districts: Riverhead, Greenport, Mattituck and Springs. OLA will also help some districts with Mi-Fi devices for students unable to rely on hotspots for adequate Wi-Fi connectivity. Chromebooks from OLA will benefit students in need regardless of whether they are Latino or not, the organization said.

“We know the school year will be ending in June, but we are confident that each school district will benefit from these new devices as part of their supply,” Ms. Perez said.