Beach Court Elementary School will host a Computer Lab Inauguration at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22 to recognize two community businesses for donating the school’s first-ever computer lab in its entirety, from wiring to electrical outlets to 36 brand new Dell computers.

“This has always been a dream that seemed out of reach,” said Beach Court principal Frank Roti. “Our students will now be able to utilize computer technology to achieve academic gains. Parents will also be able to receive training on our new computers and transfer learned skills to jobs.”

Avant DataComm Solutions, Inc., the company behind the donations, is one of the major contractors employed by DPS to upgrade and vastly increase the capacities of voice and data network infrastructure and internet services in 60 of the district’s neediest schools.

“As we have worked in these schools for many months, it has become very obvious that many of them have financial needs that can’t always be filled by DPS,” said Shawn Haggerty, president of Avant. “These needs must sometimes be filled from outside sources such as corporations, citizens groups or parents. Avant would like to offer, as a donation to Beach Court and the Denver Public School system, all of the personal computers, the wiring and the typical power requirements necessary to provide a standard computer lab installation. As a civic minded corporation, we feel this is the right thing to do.”

Sante Fe Electric, another DPS vendor working on the district’s upgrade project, has donated all power requirements (electrical outlets) and engineering and consulting services to support the new lab.

“This generosity truly represents the valuable partnerships that DPS has with even the smallest locally-owned companies,” said Bud Bullard, the director of technology systems for DPS.

“Now, our dream is becoming a reality thanks to the Department of Technology Services and the most generous donation for our computers and lab from Avant and Sante Fe Electric,” said Roti. “We look forward to personally thanking them for enabling Beach Court and our community to step into the 21st century.”

For more information, contact the Public Information Office at 720-423-3414.