
Ghedion
Beyen,
a
junior
at
Forest
Park
High
School,
and
Khoi
Nguyen,
a
junior
at
Osbourn
Park
High
School,
have
used
their
talents
in
engineering
and
technology
to
refurbish
computers
and
distribute
them
to
families
who
do
not
have
computers
at
home.
Both
students
also
attend
the
Governor's
School
@
Innovation
Park,
a
partial-day
academic
year
Governor's
School
program
with
a
focus
on
science,
technology,
engineering,
and
mathematics
(STEM)
disciplines.
The
students
created
their
own
organization,
the
Free
and
Accessible
Technology
Initiative
(FATI).
From
their
website,
"at
its
core,
the
Free
and
Accessible
Technology
Initiative
is
committed
to
ensuring
all
students
regardless
of
socioeconomic
status
get
the
unalienable
right
of
computer
and
internet
access."
Using
their
knowledge
and
passion
for
technology,
they
have
addressed
a
critical
problem
in
the
community.
Beyen,
the
chief
executive
officer
behind
the
initiative,
described
during
a
recent
interview
with
WUSA
9,
"As
schools
transitioned
to
an
online
learning
environment,
we
noticed
that
more
and
more
people
were
going
without
technology
in
their
home,
and
that
sparked
the
innovative
idea
for
our
organization."
"We
would
just
like
to
contribute
back
to
the
community
that
we
grew
up
in,"
said
Nguyen,
the
organization's
chief
operating
officer.
Their
innovative
organization
removes
economic
barriers
by
providing
free
and
refurbished
computers.
Notably,
their
goodwill
goes
beyond
just
the
refurbished
computers.
"It
is
basically
a
care
package.
We
add
in
a
wireless
mouse,
a
laptop
sleeve,
Google
Home,
refurbish
it,
download
Microsoft
Office,
Word,
and
Powerpoint
on
all
of
them,"
said
Beyen.
Together,
the
students
worked
to
overcome
an
obstacle
as
a
result
of
new
distance
learning
by
helping
families
have
access
to
the
right
technology,
and
as
a
result,
directly
help
their
classmates
have
what
they
need
to
continue
learning
from
home.
These
students'
efforts
are
an
illustrative
example
of
out-of-the
box
thinking
and
empathetic
response
brought
about
by
the
challenges
posed
by
the
coronavirus.
Learn
more
about
the
Free
and
Accessible
Technology
Initiative.