PHOENIX — What began as a public service project quickly became a mission to provide hope to children.
Since March, Celina Villa and a few other Chicanos Por La Causa scholars, have taken refurbished computers and programmed them so underprivileged children can use them for remote learning.
“I feel the main reason why I do it,” Villa says, “I’ve been in these kids places before and I know the struggle.”
The project started with 30 computers and quickly grew to 600. “You see all your hard work. You just see a family that is so happy to be like thank you so much. It gives them a sigh of relief and it makes me feel good inside.”
It’s estimated 200,000 students in Arizona don’t have access to a computer.
Celina says she and the other scholars are just getting started. “Big dreams and they’re definitely accomplishable. I don’t have one doubt we’re going to help all these kids.”
In Celina's world, everyone should be able to hope for a better future and you can count on her to help lead the way.
“I’m always smiling it makes me happy to help these kids,” she says. “Being 19 and they see me I’m almost there. I’m going to be like her. Giving them that one piece of technology that’s going to get them there.”
