Ashley Earle
Celtics.com
April 2, 2012
BOSTON – On the third floor of Timilty Middle School, students have access to the most up-to-date technology thanks to Ray Allen and his foundation, Ray of Hope.
“It’s critical that our students have the necessary tools to succeed,” said the shooting guard. “Technology closes the gap for students because they can learn new information within seconds. I can’t think of a better way to help our youth.”
Prior to unveiling the new computer lab to a select group of students, Allen entered the school auditorium and was greeted by loud cheers from the more than 600 youth who attend Timilty.
“That was one of the best welcomes I’ve ever had,” said Allen. “Thank you so much for allowing me to be here today.”
In front of the entire school, Allen delivered a riveting speech about the importance of education. After all, without being able to graduate high school, he would never have been able to play basketball at the University of Connecticut, and therefore would not be playing in the NBA today.
“If I had it my way, I would want each of you to go to college,” Allen explained. “Furthering your education opens so many doors for you in life, so please, if you take anything from today, remember to work hard every day to be a better student.”
Following the school assembly, Allen and 20 students went up two flights of stairs to the third floor and entered the brand new, renovated computer lab. Upon entering, the students saw large graphics adorning the walls that depicted some of Allen’s most memorable moments, including breaking the all-time 3-point record and meeting President Obama. New computer tables lined the walls and 29 state-of-the-art computers rested on them. With the addition of a smart board and new printer, the room was ready for the middle school students, and from the expressions of the ones participating in the unveiling, they were happy with the final product.
While in the computer lab, students were assembled into four groups to put the computers to use as while they learned more about their favorite Celtic player and the cities he played basketball in. The students learned that the University of Connecticut was founded in 1881, Milwaukee is home to more than 900,000 people, Seattle’s main tourist attraction is the Space Needle and Boston’s big four professional sports teams have 33 combined championships.
“This activity shows you the power of technology,” said Allen. “In 10 minutes, you all learned so much. Just think about all the things you can learn now that you have access to this lab. The sky is the limit for you!”
With the unveiling event coming to a close, Allen spoke once more on why he is so passionate about giving youth access to technology.
“This is now the fourth lab my foundation has built in the last two years,” he said. “I know from my own experiences that I would not be where I’m at today without an education. It’s my responsibility to give back to the next generation and ensure that they are able to succeed.”