VALENCIA COMPANY PLEDGES COMPUTERS TO AID U.S. SCHOOLS.Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff Writer A Valencia-based manufacturer of network computers, a low-cost alternative to the personal computer, has pledged to donate 100,000 machines to America's public schools, including those in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. and South Central Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . FUTURENET Online Inc. also promises to donate the first 5,000 computers to needy public schools in inner cities. ``What we have is a problem,'' board Chairman Alan J. Setlin said. ``Our kids are not on the Internet and need to be on the Internet. We thought we needed to get involved.'' The 6-week-old company makes and sells network computers, a no-frills desktop machine that sells for $500 and can access the Internet using a phone line and TV monitor. The company plans to distribute the machines in March or April through its 5,000 distributors, who sell the machines privately, much like Tupperware representatives. The distributors will select local schools most deserving of the computers. Mayor Carl Boyer, who teaches government, history and civics civics, branch of learning that treats of the relationship between citizens and their society and state, originally called civil government. With the large immigration into the United States in the latter half of the 19th cent. at San Fernando High School San Fernando High School, located in San Fernando, California, is a secondary school that is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. The school colors are black and gold. All girl teams are referred to as Lady Tigers, all boy teams simply as Tigers. , said he was excited about the offer. ``I would imagine that they could touch every school in the nation. I think it's a pretty good offer,'' said Boyer, who said the computers would enable schools across the globe to communicate and share information. The computers could stimulate ``school-to-school communications throughout the entire world, which would be a real plus in developing knowledge of languages and geography,'' he said. ``There could be the capability of downloading materials and helping kids do research on the Internet,'' he added. FUTURENET also will distribute its computers through nonprofit organizations Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. such as Educate the Children Foundation, which earned the 1996 President's Service Award for its work with needy schools. Retired Cincinnati radio executive Frank Clarke Frank Clarke is the name of more than one person:
n. The quantity that a truck can hold. truckload n → camión m lleno shipments of used textbooks, desks, typewriters and copiers from wealthier schools to poor ones. FUTURENET spokesman Robert Clarke said he looked forward to working with his father's foundation. ``They validate what we're doing,'' he said. ``It's wonderful.'' Since it became a publicly traded company publicly traded company A company whose shares of common stock are held by the public and are available for purchase by investors. The shares of publicly traded firms are bought and sold on the organized exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. Sept. 10, FUTURENET has made more than $4 million in gross revenues and sold more than 5,000 units across the country, company officials said. The firm expects to ship several thousand more units during the next month. ``We're going to go through the roof,'' Robert Clarke said. Valencia's thriving business community appealed to company officials. ``We chose Valencia as our headquarters because it's a growing area,'' Clarke said. The company employs 100 workers in sales, accounting, shipping and receiving and technical maintenance. The computers are manufactured in Taipei. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (color) Alan J. Setlin, chairman of FUTURENET Online Inc., says pupils need Internet access See how to access the Internet. . John Lazar/Special to the Daily News |
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