Students at four schools have been given almost 200 laptops thanks to a donation from Belco.

The power company gave 187 laptops to students at Dellwood Middle School, Whitney Institute, Sandys Middle School and Clearwater Middle School.

Belco president Wayne Caines said: “Belco has a long history of empowering Bermudian students through scholarships and other philanthropic donations. We understand that during these challenging times not all families have a computer that is necessary for a 21st-century education and occasional remote learning.

“Education is crucial to ensuring equal opportunities for all young Bermudians and I know that our entire team at Belco is humbled and honoured to do our part to help secure the education of our next generation.”

Dellwood Middle School Acting Principal L Wainwright-Dill said: “The demand for laptop and digital services for children have soared over the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic and the need to learn virtually.

“Children without access to laptops have sadly missed out on their education, so we are absolutely delighted to have the support of Belco who have graciously donated chrome laptops to our children.

“The continuation of learning is vitally important for our young children and it is imperative that we continue to foster these corporate partnerships with corporations such as Belco and their hardworking teams.

“Please accept our gratitude for your generous gifts that you have provided our school. This will assist us greatly in supporting our students who are in urgent need of laptops to complete their rigorous school assignments that are preparing them for a lifetime of learning.”

Kalley Baxter-Williams, of Sandys Secondary Middle School said: “On behalf of the board of governors and Sandys Secondary Middle School family, we wish to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Belco family for such a generous gift.

“The gift of laptops will truly be a blessing to our students and assist with enhancing the teaching and learning experiences provided to support them on their journey as students of excellence prepared for the future in an ever-changing local and global society.

“Thank you for the words of encouragement and positive messages sent by your staff to enlighten, uplift and encourage our students. Thank you for helping us to fulfil our vision statement which is to motivate, educate and empower.”

Clearwater Middle School Principal Lisa Swan said: “We are very grateful to Belco for making this a reality for our students. This helps us to give all our students the opportunity to move into the digital world and explore the world of possibilities.

“We truly appreciate the partnership with Belco and we will be sure to share with you the wonderful things we are doing at Clearwater Middle School.”