Lois Stewart has been involved with the Kids, Cops & Computers program for less than a year, but has already seen the difference a computer and Internet connection can have on students’ self-esteem and education.

Stewart, the principal at Fairbank Middle School, notes that “there is an increased level of confidence among students” on the Program. Fairbank students received their desktop computers and printers from Kids, Cops & Computers in the summer and have been eagerly using them to produce school assignments and projects. The computers at the school  were made possible by a very generous donation from York Rotary.

“There is a difference in the quality of work between students who have access to a computer and those who don’t,” explains Stewart. “By giving students a computer, Kids, Cops & Computers is providing students with the opportunity to produce the same quality of work as their peers.”

According to Stewart, kids who have home access to computer technology tend to be more confident. This is evident for kids on the Program this year, as they are becoming more involved in their classrooms and at school.

“We’re seeing a difference in their self-esteem. This is leading to more participation in the classroom and not as many students are reluctant to share their opinions,” explains Stewart.

She notes that with a home computer and Internet connection, students have an added bank of knowledge.

As Toronto continues to become an increasingly diverse city, having that added bank of knowledge is essential for students and their families.

Immigrant families face numerous challenges associated with moving to a new country: parents have to look for jobs to support the family and kids are trying to make adjustments with new classrooms and learning styles.

There is an added frustration when parents do not have the time to, or cannot help students with school assignments due to language barriers or simply because they “come from a different structure of learning and could have done things differently at home.”

However, with easy access to a home computer, students can go on the Internet to get informed instead of relying on their parents.

“The parents of students on the Program are saying thank you because the kids are happier and there is less frustration at home.”- Lois Stewart, Fairbank Middle School

“That, to me, is the greatest endorsement,” says Stewart, stressing the importance of having students get connected digitally before entering high school.

“We don’t want students to enter high school with a deficit, because when that happens, they don’t feel engaged and end up leaving,” she explains.

For Stewart, who in just a short period of time was able to witness the positive changes that Kids, Cops & Computers is having on students’ lives, the Program is one of the most impactful “grassroots initiatives” for youth.

“It impacts the students, their families and the communities they live in,” she says.

“It’s one that is truly making a difference.”