New Canby High program lets students borrow laptops for home Internet access | OregonLive.com

New Canby High program lets students borrow laptops for home Internet access | OregonLive.com

New Canby High program lets students borrow laptops for home Internet access

By Nicole Dungca, The Oregonian

March 21, 2010, 6:00PM

MICHAEL LLOYD/THE OREGONIANDavid Orozco, 17, uses a computer and wireless modem he borrowed through Canby High School’s “Check It Out” program, which launched last month. After his family gave up Internet access as a way to save money, the Canby High senior has borrowed the laptops several times for research projects and studying.CANBY -- Just as finals approached, David Orozco's family decided to drop Internet access to save money. The Canby High School senior had a group project on Bosnia and Herzegovina due in Economics class, and he needed to look up music on YouTube for choir practice.

But Orozco, 17, understood.

"With the economy, not everyone can afford everything," Orozco said. "This is just another so-called luxury."

Last month, Canby High administrators presented their own solution to Orozco's problem -- the school launched "Check It Out," a program that allows students to borrow laptops and wireless modems for free Internet access at home.

The program sheds light on a predicament facing families as they search for ways to trim budgets. Although many now consider online access essential for academic success, nearly one-third of U.S. households have no Internet connection, according to data from a 2009 Census Bureau survey.

At Canby High School, where a striking one in 17 students is considered homeless, there's often a waiting list for the laptops and wireless modems, especially on weekends.

"We definitely know there's a need for the program," said principal Pat Johnson. Each night, students can check out one of 10 laptops bought by the school and one of 20 wireless modules, which were provided free of charge by Cricket Wireless.

Though the school's computer lab has 40 computers, it closes at 5 p.m., h