As part of the Classroom Wishlist program, the Idaho Lottery hosted a ceremony presenting much needed technology upgrades and 30 new Chromebooks to support the ongoing mission of the Cardinal Academy Public Charter School in west Boise. The delivery ceremony for the $9,750 award occurred in mid-May. The school’s counselor, Amber Abercrombie, made the request on behalf of their faculty and student population.

The Cardinal Academy is a public charter high school for pregnant and parenting teens. The school’s mission is to help these students complete high school. Mobile technology, like laptops or Chrome books, often makes the difference in being able to graduate.

In Amber’s words, “When our school opened four years ago, money was so tight that we gladly accepted any old, discarded laptops other local schools were retiring so those schools could get new ones. Those old laptops are now four years older than they were when we got them and they glitch, do not hold charges, are broken, or in disrepair. We do not have a budget to replace them, so we are slapping a "band aid" on them and carrying on. Our students are often on bedrest, maternity leave, or home with sick babies. We need to have a working device for each of our students in case they have to do their coursework from home.”

Wish granted. Congratulations to all 18 students of the Cardinal Academy who graduated this spring!