The 'Magic' of Giving the Gift of a Computer

Chris Betuel isn't your average sophomore high school student. 

He's racked up 600 community service hours in high school alone. Only 30 are required to graduate.

But, it's his latest endeavor to collect donations in the form of unwanted computers about which he is most excited.

Betuel, who will graduate with the Class of 2014, said he grew to realize through all the research and homework assignments how difficult it would be to make it through without the use of a personal computer at home.

Give My PC was created to help students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. "If you need a computer, I'm your man."

"It's just assumed that everyone has one in this 21st century world," he said. The high school has a brand new computer lab, but, he said, "Eventually the school closes." Then what?

The soon-to-be 16 year old said he realized how fortunate he was to get a new computer when his was only 3 or 4 years old. "Everyone likes the brand new, the best, when what they have is perfectly fine."

His parents Peter Betuel and Leslie Wells, who live in Northwest Woods, always instilled in him to be grateful for what he had and he said, "I feel it's important to help other people when you can."

According to a study of 470 ninth grade algebra students, those with a computer outperformed those without one by 98 percent in test scores, according to Betuel's website.

Anyone in the community can donate their PC or Mac computers or laptops, iPad or other tablets, monitors, keyboards, cables, and smartphones free of charge.

"We'll take most anything that works," Betuel said, though the ideal donations are less than five years old. The most important aspect is that it has Microsoft Word and an Internet connection.

Need pick-up? No problem, Betuel (and likely his dad) will haul your gear away.

Then, he turns it over to the student needs coordinators at school, who will arrange for students in need to get the gear.

Betuel isn't involved in who receives the donations, and doesn't even know their names.

"I could see how it would be awkward," he said, adding he thinks anonymity is best.

With four to five computer donations doled out so far, Betuel had already received a thank you note — something he called "the magic" of giving back. "You could really feel the emotion in the letter," he said, which was from a single mother with two children who will use the computer.