Northrop Grumman makes district 400 computers richer

Northrop Grumman, a leading global security company with more than 120,000 employees, is a worldwide corporation specializing in innovative systems, solutions in aerospace, electronics, shipbuilding, technical services to the government and more. But all those big credentials have never stopped the firm from looking within its own neighborhoods to help tomorrow’s leaders.

Their work in schools, whether it be in the form of donations or high school internships, has made an impact on the Ramona community.

Former Ramona Community School Principal Ellen Burgess helped make the original connection with NG.

“When she was principal, she knew a parent that worked at NG. Together, they got our district on a list of schools to receive computers that were cycled out of the company,” said Keith Wright, director of Information and Student Services for the Ramona school district. “The best thing for us was that they were Dell computers that we already supported, so it was a very easy fit.”

Over the past three years, they donated more than 400 computers to the district. Wright said they started by placing the computers at RCS, outfitting the entire campus. When they were finished there, they started replacing teachers’ older computers throughout the district, then they replaced a couple of computer labs. In a time when budgets are tight, this amount of computers makes a huge difference, said Wright.

“Before Ramona Community School moved to its new campus, the state of their technology and computers was poor,” said Wright. “With the donation from NG, we were able to create two computer labs and install multiple computers into each classroom.”

Now that the donations are coming to an end, Wright wants everyone to know how grateful Ramona Unified School District is for the generous donations.

“There is no way we could have made that large of a technological impact at that school, or in the district, without such a wonderful donation,” he said.

And to others who may have a computer or computers to donate, Wright said that RUSD always welcomes them. He asks the following minimum requirements for donations: computers no less than 4 years old, P4 2.4GHz or faster and 512 MB RAM.

The district prefers Dell computers. Also, the district does not take CRT monitors or non-laser printers. To contact Wright, call 760-787-2070.