Funding fully equips a middle school computer lab and keeps a beloved five-year time-capsule tradition open to every student.

Student population growth and a building expansion left Chesapeake Science Point Public Charter School’s middle school technology lab short two iMac computers, creating a real equity gap for students during technology instruction. The Education Foundation awarded a grant to fully equip the lab with the hardware it needed.

With the lab complete, technology classes now run smoothly from start to finish, with 100% active student participation. Small savings from the purchase were used to buy postage stamps for a longstanding school tradition: each year, FOSA, Studio 1, and senior students write letters to their future selves, which staff hold for five years before mailing. The leftover funds ensured that any student without access to a stamp at home could still take part, keeping the tradition open to every student, regardless of financial background.

“As we began our recent building expansion, shifting student numbers resulted in larger middle school classes, leaving our computer lab short by two iMacs. Because of your help, our technology classes now run smoothly from start to finish. This small stamp makes a massive impact on our CSP community — when these letters arrive five years later, they prompt our alumni to look back, reflect on their growth, and return to visit the school that became their family.” — Rachel Pratt