I am sending this on behalf of
Open Source Initiative to introduce "FLOSS Desktops for Kids", an extracurricular STEM project that aims to give kids access to technology while introducing them to basic computer science and open source software.
"Kids can't code without a computer"
As education becomes more and more technology-laden, students without access to a computer or the internet at home fall further and further behind. FLOSS Desktops seeks to provide access to these under-served students through refurbished hardware and open source software.
Our computers come either through donations or from schools that have discarded their current computers in favor of new ones. Students then fix them up, wipe the hard drive, install open source operating systems and software, learn to code in HTML/CSS and _javascript_, and then take their "new" computer home with them to use for future endeavors.
We've already run this project in several locations, but we're looking for others to give it a try and/or provide more feedback.
We are also hosting a web conference for our community partners to present what they're doing with open source educational programs. Join us on the 18th from 10AM to 1PM EST at
http://meet.jit.si/flossdesktops and ask questions.
We look forward to meeting and working with you!