New Charter School with Strong Alumni Ties Gets Big Technology Assist from DePauw's CTEP

June 30, 2004

June 30, 2004, Greencastle, Ind. - The second-largest external donation ever to DePauw's Community Technology Enhancement Program (CTEP) has allowed the program to provide computers to a new Indianapolis charter school with strong DePauw connections. The Plainfield, Indiana Community School Corporation generously donated eighty-five Pentium III desktop computers to CTEP, a DePauw-administered program that accepts donations of computers that are no longer needed by their previous owners, refurbishes them, and donates the machines to individuals and organizations who need them but may not have the financial resources to obtain them. Yesterday, fifty of the machines were delivered to the Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School in Indianapolis. (CTEP associates seen in photo)

In April 2004, CTEP staff met with Siri Ann Loescher '84 and Marcus Robinson '94 of the Charles A. Tindley Accelerated High School. Loescher, one of the school's three co-founders, and Robinson, the school's chief executive officer and principal, inquired about receiving up to 50 Pentium III computers from CTEP. “Before the generous donation from Plainfield schools, we did not think we would be able to assist the Tindley school, since we did not have Pentium IIIs,” relates CTEP associate Milena Smatrakaleva, a DePauw junior. The Plainfield donation marked the first Pentium III computers donated to CTEP. “The Plainfield donation matches perfectly with the Tindley school's needs, as well as our desire to assist their mission. We are very happy to be a part of this cause,” she added.

The 85 computer donation by Plainfield Community Schools is second largest made to CTEP since its foundation three years ago. Only last summer's gift of 150 computers from the North Putnam School Corporation was larger. “While the program accepts donations of individual computers from members of the community, it is really the large donations such as Plainfield's and the retired computers from the university that allow CTEP to achieve its mission,” says CTEP associate and DePauw junior Brian Winstead.

“This is a terrific opportunity for DePauw to help improve educational opportunities for children in Indianapolis,” states Dennis Trinkle, chief information officer at DePauw and a 1991 graduate of the University. “These machines will be helping to close the gap for students who suffer the digital divide every day. We're pleased to be able to reach out beyond our own local community to make a difference for kids in Indianapolis.”

CTEP is one of DePauw's 361° technology initiatives. To date, the program has donated approximately 250 computers to the local community.

DePauw University Dining Services kindly provided a large truck and driver to transport the large donation from Plainfield to Indianapolis. Following the drop off of the 50 computers in a storage location, Marcus Robinson provided CTEP staff with a tour of the school building which is under renovation. "The Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School seeks to powerfully affect the futures of its students by providing them with rigorous, pre-collegiate training without regard to their past performance or demonstrated ability," Robinson says. "As Indiana's first Early College High School, the Tindley School will prepare its students to begin taking fully-accredited and transferable college courses (in partnership with a local college) starting in their junior year of high school. Our hope is that our students will graduate from high school with one to two years of college already completed. Many of our students come to us from academically at-risk situations, and we will be preparing them to seek baccalaureate educations at selective colleges across America." (photo shows Robinson giving CTEP associates a tour of his school)

The new charter school opens in the fall and carries many ties to DePauw alumni in addition to Loescher and Robinson. Three DePauw alumni serve on the school's board of directors: John Neighbours '71 (board chair), Alan Hill '81, and Kenya-Taray Delemore '96. Patrick Terry '94 is director of operations, and three DePauw alumnae -- Rosalie Pettigrew '96, Nickola Baker '94, and Maggie Coyne '99 -- will be teachers at the school.

Learn more about CTEP by calling (765) 658-5920 or clicking here. Read about the Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School here.

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