Rural Aspirations Project recently partnered with give IT. get IT. to bring laptop technology to middle school students participating in the Maine Forest Collaborative program – part of the Rural Aspirations Project. We sat down with Sara King to learn more about their mission and how access to technology is opening new doors for rural youth.
Can you tell us about the Rural Aspirations Project and the communities you serve?
Rural Aspirations Project was founded in 2014 with a clear mission: to honor the inherent value of rural schools, places, and people by collaboratively designing educational opportunities that inspire youth aspirations and strengthen community vitality.
Our ultimate goal is to build community and regional capacity through partnerships that sustain a culture of connection—bringing students, community, and schools together to invest in vital futures for rural places. We work collaboratively with schools, teachers, students, community partners, and networks across Maine to make this vision a reality.
What prompted you to reach out to give IT. get IT. for laptops?
One of our key programs is the Maine Forest Collaborative, which guides students through place-based projects where they identify natural resource challenges relevant to their communities and work with community partners to develop solutions. We’ve been working with one particular school for four years at the high school level, and this year they launched a middle school version of the program.
The challenge we faced was that this school doesn’t have 1:1 laptops—only iPads—which made many aspects of project work and learning difficult for students. We knew we needed a better solution.
How are the laptops making a difference for your students?
The impact is significant. As part of the Maine Forest Collaborative program, students learn from natural resource professionals about challenges and opportunities facing the state and their communities. But they’re also learning about careers and developing essential skills for success.
These include life skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, public speaking, and time management, as well as specific technical skills relevant to their projects. ArcGIS is frequently introduced as part of the program and often becomes a central tool in student projects. With laptops, students can now learn and practice ArcGIS in the classroom, maintain their own accounts, and use the platform to advance their projects—something that simply wasn’t possible on iPads.
Beyond ArcGIS, the laptops help immensely with other aspects of project management. Even basic tools like Google Sheets and slide presentations become more accessible, and students can navigate through multiple resources and tabs when conducting research.
What does this technology access mean to you personally, and what challenges were you facing before?
For the rural students who will use these laptops, I think the most meaningful part is knowing they are worth it and that they deserve the opportunity to explore new platforms as much as anyone else. Rural Aspirations and the Maine Forest Collaborative are truly grateful for this donation and the increased opportunities it creates.
The biggest challenge with not having access to appropriate technology was that it prevented students from knowing about and using tools like ArcGIS for mapping, geospatial analysis, and data analysis. This lack of access doesn’t just hinder students’ comfort with technology after graduation—it creates an awareness gap about what’s available to them in terms of accessing specific platforms, manipulating information themselves, and gaining exposure to technology used in various careers.
What was your experience working with give IT. get IT.?
The process was extremely smooth, quick, and hassle-free. I was able to submit a request right from the website, heard back in a timely manner via email, had a few brief exchanges, and was ready to pick up the laptops within a week. It couldn’t have been easier.
The Rural Aspirations Project expects students to begin using their new laptops in January. Their work demonstrates how access to technology can bridge opportunity gaps for rural students and open doors to careers and skills they might never have known existed.
Help Bridge the Digital Divide
Stories like Sara’s show the transformative power of access to technology for students in underserved communities. Your support can help more organizations like Rural Aspirations Project equip young people with the tools they need to explore, learn, and thrive.
Ready to make a difference? Visit giveitgetit.org/give-it/sponsor-it to learn how you can donate equipment, sponsor a project, or get involved with give IT. get IT.’s mission to provide technology access to those who need it most.
Read more about our work:
Computer Donations: Support Nonprofits with Your Old Computers
