U.S. Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico OCS Region

Minerals Management Service Donates Computers to Local Schools

Students in southern Louisiana and Texas are benefiting from surplus Federal computers, thanks to donations from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS).  During the 1999 - 2000 school year, the MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Office, New Orleans, provided over 250 complete computer systems to schools in New Orleans alone through the Computers for Learning program.

The Computers for Learning program is the Federal agencies’ mechanism for giving surplus computer equipment to schools and educational nonprofits, with special consideration to those with the greatest needs.  The program allows schools to register online quickly and easily to request surplus Federal computer equipment.  Federal agencies can then select schools and educational nonprofits on the basis of need.

MMS Gulf of Mexico Regional Director Chris Oynes is an enthusiastic supporter of the program.  "This is an excellent example of how surplus equipment can help students gain valuable hands-on computer experience, and can lead to greater opportunities for them," said Oynes.  The computers became available when the Regional Office, which oversees the development of our Nation's mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelves of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and employs over 500 people, upgraded many of its computer systems.

Theresa M. Adams, Principal of New Orleans’ John F. Kennedy High School, which received 80 computer systems in April, writes, "Technology is one of the most sought after skills in industry today and our students must be equipped for this expanding job-market.  Your donation will allow us to install at least three computer-based labs for student use, and be able to install a working computer in 75% of our classrooms."

This MMS Regional office has been giving back to many Gulf of Mexico area communities by donating computers to schools for quite some time.  In 1994 and 1995, operating under former President Bush’s Executive Order 12821, the Region donated 150 pieces of computer equipment to schools in Jefferson and Orleans parishes.  Since President Clinton's Executive Order 12999, "Ensuring Opportunity for all Children in the Next Century," was implemented in 1996, the Region has provided nearly 500 computers (mostly Pentium and 486 models) and many other kinds of associated ADP equipment to schools in St. Tammany, St. Landry, Calcasieu, and Orleans parishes in Louisiana, and Brazoria county in Texas.  Oynes explained, "The criteria for selecting the schools to receive the computers were simple.  Schools with the most needy students economically and academically were put at the top of the list.  We wanted to help those students who were most at risk."  Most of the computers went to schools in Empowerment Zones, furthering the goals of serving America's children.

Oynes also noted that the Region’s participation in the Computers for Learning program is just a part of MMS’s overall educational outreach effort.  "MMS has developed many useful educational products that teachers can obtain free of charge by visiting the MMS Kid’s Pages on the website at www.mms.gov.  There are several Kid’s Pages offering everything from posters to lesson plans to classroom activities that cover a variety of scientific disciplines including marine biology, physical oceanography, and geology."  Many of the students and teachers who have received MMS computers have used them to log on the MMS website.

For more information about the Computers for Learning program or to register a school or educational nonprofit, visit their website at www.computers.fed.gov.  To learn more about the MMS Gulf of Mexico Region, call Caryl Fagot in the Office of Public Affairs at 504-736-2590 or visit www.gomr.mms.gov.

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MMS's Website Address: http://www.mms.gov