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$1.1 million donation will update technology at Steel Valley
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The Steel Valley School District wants students to have the resources to build their education -- a reflection of the spirit of William Campbell, who recently donated $1.1 million to the district for technology.
As a result, 460 new desktop computers will be delivered to the district within the next few days. They are for the elementary schools, middle school science department, all the schools' libraries and computer-aided drafting and computer labs at the high school.
Also coming, thanks to Mr. Campbell's gift: additional visual learning tools called SMART boards.
"The new technology will provide the kids with the foundation they need to take their education to a new level," said Ed Colebank, director of academics and technology.
Already delivered are teacher laptops with upgraded software.
The new technology is Phase I of a two-part six-year plan that answers the question: "In a utopian world, where would we want to be if we had unlimited resources to provide exactly what the kids need instead of budgeting all the time?"
District officials posed that question to themselves after being contacted by Mr. Campbell about needs in technology or academic fields.
The $1.1 million is for Phase I. The cost of Phase II, which will be less than Phase I, is being reviewed by Mr. Campbell.
Phase II's primary focus will be on secondary schools, software and the district's infrastructure, such as the computer network.
The $1.1 million was presented by Mr. Campbell to the district in an Aug. 17 ceremony at the high school. A painting of his late brother, Jim Campbell, by South Side artist Johno Prascak was unveiled at that time. The painting will be hung in the high school.
Mr. Campbell, a 1959 graduate of the former Homestead High School -- now Steel Valley High School -- is chairman of Intuit Inc., a technology software company.
"He wants to give back to the community as he became quite wealthy," said Joe Ducar, a school board member and president of the nonprofit Steel Valley Foundation for Education through which the Campbell Family Foundation channels its donations.
The latest donation puts that total at more than $5 million.
Mr. Campbell's generosity includes funding for Campbell Football Field at the high school and Jim Campbell Gymnasium at the middle school.
His first technology donation was for laptops for teachers in 2001.
He also paid for portable laptop carts for the middle school Language Arts Department and the original computer aided drafting lab.
Mr. Ducar estimated that Mr. Campbell donated more than $100,000 in personal funds for amenities such as band uniforms, batting cages, pitching machines, football uniforms and equipment.
First Published September 6, 2007 6:43 am
