NORTH SHELBY – Oak Mountain High School officials will have to get to work making an inventory of the 100 Google Chromebook laptop computers dropped off at the school on Thursday, Jan. 31.

The Indian Springs Kiwanis Club donated the devices as part of the Chromebooks for Eagles effort that will soon enable to school to provide a computer for each student.

Searching for a service project, club members approached OMHS Principal Kristi Sayers about any needs the school had.

“We discovered that schools used to provide textbooks, but now much is done with the Google Chromebook computer,” Elliott said. “Local city schools supply these, but Oak Mountain is the largest system in our county, and the only one not in the city limits of a city providing assistance.”

At the time, the school had one Chromebook for every three students. The Kiwanis Club set a goal of donating 200 Chromebooks so that the school would have a 1-to-1 supply—eliminating the need for students to share during the day and the barrier to them taking home the devices if needed.

Elliott wrote a letter to the community asking for donations, and residents responded.

“The outpouring of the community has been tremendous,” Elliott said.

In addition to the Kiwanis Club’s efforts, Southern Nuclear donated 40 Chromebooks, and Elliott’s Heart South Cardiovascular Group donated 10 Chromebooks.

A total of about $28,000 has been collected so far.

Fundraising for the remainder of the club’s goal will include a pancake breakfast in the spring.

Once the high school’s needs are met, the Kiwanis Club plans to begin providing Chromebooks for younger students in the area—in fact, these conversations have already begun.

Sayers said access to the technology at a young age benefits the students once they reach high school.

“That’s where kids really learn, if you have it from kindergarten on through,” Sayers said.

The Kiwanians encouraged service club members in other parts of Shelby County to consider such an effort to provide needed technology for students in their areas.

Indian Springs Kiwanis Club officials will present information about Chromebooks for Eagles during the upcoming Kiwanis Mid-Winter Conference in Prattville.

“Kiwanis is all about supporting children’s needs,” club President Keith McKendall said.

Anyone interested in donating to the effort can mail a check made out to the Alabama Kiwanis Foundation to Indian Springs Village Town Hall, 2635 Cahaba Valley Road, Indian Springs, 35124. Gifts are tax-deductible.