The Business Journal
The following article appeared on The Business Journal website on August 7, 2009.
Lady of Victory receives donation from BCT
Article by Marc Lutz
The Business Journal
Consider it a techno-miracle: When Our Lady of Victory Catholic elementary school in Fresno realized they needed an upgraded computer lab, their prayers were answered.
BCT Consulting of Clovis learned about the tiny school’s limited and aging computer system and decided to do something about it.
“We got called out for something really small, and then saw there was a huge need in the lives of these kids,” said Eric Rawn, the founder and president of BCT.
That “something really small” just happened to be the computer used by school volunteer Lillian Weiland, whose daughter attends Our Lady of Victory. After seeing the technological challenges the administration office faced, Weiland showed Rawn the computer lab, which is used by students from all grades.
“Eric saw the computer lab and really felt sorry for us,” Weiland said with a laugh.
Indeed, the lab is home to about 30 outdated IBM PCs, and wires from the school’s current ailing server hang from one spot in the lab’s wall.
Rawn’s mind started running through all the possibilities. The first step was to upgrade Weiland’s computer, install a server that would connect the preschool office with the main office, and hook them all up to one laser printer.
Ian Matthews, BCT’s network and workstation support technician, was on-site today to do the preliminary work and take stock of further work to be done. Rawn said Matthews would spend about eight to 10 hours at the school, and next week BCT would return to do follow-up work.
The total donated equipment will run from $6,000 to $7,000 initially, but Rawn estimates by the end of the year, it will be closer to $15,000. Eventually Rawn sees the entire school running on a wireless Internet connection, where each student will have a laptop to use in class, rather than splitting time in the computer lab. The school has roughly 194 Kindergarten through eighth grade students.
“It was almost like Christmas for us,” Rawn said. “We love giving back to the community.”
This charitable project isn’t the first BCT. In January, the company donated computers and networking to the Fresno edition of ABC’s popular Extreme Home Makeover show.
Rawn doesn’t plan to finish this project either. His company will be updating Our Lady of Victory’s website and maintaining the equipment once it’s installed.
“We want to show (Our Lady) and possibly even other schools the benefits of using technology in the classroom,” Rawn said.