CALIFORNIA COMPUTER THEFT Community responds to help Claremont youth program after computer theft - DailyBulletin.com:

Community responds to help Claremont youth program after computer theft
Lori Consalvo, Staff Writer
Created: 06/19/2009 10:28:38 AM PDT

CLAREMONT - It didn't take long for the community spirit to shine.

Four days after Project Think, a nonprofit summer program for children, was burglarized and 13 of its 15 computers were stolen, members of the surrounding communities have offered their equipment for the students to use.

"It's turned into this wonderful opportunity to give to the future, to give to the kids," said Susan Warren, who co-founded and co-directs the program with Kay Conley.

The largest donation came from the Claremont University Consortium, the support organization for all seven of the Claremont Colleges.

On Wednesday, members from the consortium's tech department installed 15 fairly new desktop computers.

The consortium regularly rotates and upgrades its equipment and was in the process of deciding what to do with the extra machines when CEO Bob Walton heard about the theft.

"Here was an opportunity to put (the computers) to use immediately," he said. "Maybe these are our future students."

Project Think is an academic enrichment program for preschool-aged children to eighth-graders that offers computer classes, art history and appreciation, language arts, performing arts and science during two three-week sessions, Warren said. They also provide scholarships to their students.

Computers are a big part of the program - the younger students use them to learn basic skills while the older groups use podcasting and programs like iMovies and PhotoShop.

In the last few days, the program also received a $2,500 donation for equipment from the owner of the Independent Professional Provider Group of Claremont, who has grandchildren in Project Think.

People have offered the program individual computers and the Human Resources Department at DreamWorks contacted Warren and said they wanted to work out some kind of donation as well.

The program now has more computers than ever and students will get a better learning opportunity.

But having the upgraded equipment means beefing up security as well.

"We're going to upgrade security on the actual doors ... and put locks on all of the computers," Warren said.