Computers donated to Hillcrest

For children in and out of foster care, getting the help and attention they need to succeed in the classroom can sometimes be difficult. To bridge that gap, the administration at Lakeside School District recently gave the children at Hillcrest Children’s Home 15 new iMacs.

“These iMacs are just like the ones the use at school every day, so they’re already familiar with the technology,” said Jay Mooney, executive director for COMPACT Family Services.

Hillcrest has served the needs of children in foster care in Hot Springs for 70 years and is under the umbrella of COMPACT, according the Mooney. Highlands Maternity Home and a new transitional living center for children who have aged out of the foster care system also fall under COMPACT.

The new computers were placed in different areas of the campus at Hillcrest for students from elementary school to high school to use, an advantage Mooney is excited to see these children get.

“Too often, these children are so stressed from moving through the foster care system that they aren’t able to get the foothold they

need in their education,” he said. “And a lot of times, these children are the most creative and smart children you’ll meet. Being able to engage them in this way with this new technology is very exciting.”

Earlier in the school year, Mooney approached assistant superintendent Bruce Orr about using Title I funds for purchasing the new computers, which the school board then approved.

“This is the type of thing that money is designed for, and Lakeside really went above and beyond to make this happen,” Mooney said. “The care and concern they have for every child’s education is something to be grateful for. These computers are such a wonderful asset to our campus and help us to better mainstream our kids’ education.”