Every year, the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Dallas throws a banquet to honor graduating seniors and to give away free laptops for college. Because of COVID-19, they decided to do the next best thing - a laptop drive-through on Friday at its Cedar Springs branch.
Graduating seniors lined up in the parking lot excited to start their new chapter with a new laptop.
Carolyn Jordan is the Director of Volunteers Services and Community Outreach for BGCD.
“Out of the 100 seniors, about 90% have already submitted their applications, and they’re all set to start in the fall. The rest of them are either going to the military or they’re looking at community college,” said Jordan.
Coronavirus changed senior year for students, like Cayla Jones.
“Coronavirus came, so there was no prom, no real graduation, not seeing my friends. Ending my year, it was really hard,” said senior Cayla Jones.
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She received an Amazon gift card - and a brand new laptop she’ll use in college.
”This laptop will help me in a big amount because my classes are going to be online since we’re not having face to face classes,” said Jones.
Seniors were awarded the laptop after completing the ‘STEPs’ program - mentoring sessions that help them apply for college and financial aid.
“We still want to celebrate young people going off to college. A lot of them will be the first in their family to get an opportunity to go to college. We want to make it as special as we can during these times," said Jordan.
It’s something special Jones plans to hold onto.
“This laptop is an award for me, like, job well done,” said Jones.
Seniors that couldn’t make it out Friday can come out Saturday for a follow-up event to get their laptop for college.
*Map locations are approximate, central locations for the city and are not meant to indicate where actual infected people live.
