Thursday, May 9, 2024
Vol. 159, Issue 19
Decorah, Iowa 52101 www.decorahnewspapers.com
DHS junior focuses on helping classmates with ‘Laptops Without Borders’ program
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Jack Sovern has received several donations for his “Laptops Without Borders” initiative at Decorah Community Schools. Sovern is shown presenting the first refurbished computers to a few of his DHS classmates, seated from left: Agustina Martin, Guisela Pastor and Fatima Solovi. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Roz Weis)
Laptop donations welcome By Roz Weis A Decorah High School junior has taken his passion for rebuilding computers and started a new program to help put technology into the hands of fellow students. Jack Sovern, a 16-year-old junior at DHS, said he noticed some of his family members owned laptops that were gathering dust. He said he eventually came up with an idea to put them in the hands people who could use them – his classmates. Sovern, the son of Eric Sovern and Shannon Horton of Decorah, is advocating for digital inclusion in the community by his initiative he calls “Laptops Without Borders.” He shared, “Having grown up surrounded by technology, I believe in equal access to the internet, a sentiment shared by the United Nations in 2016 when it recognized internet access as a human right.” Sovern continued, “While many in our town take this right for granted, some, especially recent immigrants, face barriers, particularly during the summer when school-provided computers become unavailable. To bridge this digital divide, I launched a project to refurbish old, unused laptops.” Sovern’s interest in technology started at a young age. “Ever since I was four or five years old I’ve been using computers. First, it started with my father when we were playing games together. Then, it was in middle school, where I built my own computer from parts I purchased. Now, I’ve been working on fixing computers for more than five
A newly-acquired building on Water Street is being restored for forging classes at Vesterheim Folk Art School. (submitted)
years, and I’ve been getting better and better,” he said. “My family has known I’m interested in computers for a long time, and every time they have an old laptop, they give it to me. At some point, whenever I received a computer I would just stack it in the closest … Then one day I was walking home and thinking about the interesting things I can do with my computers, and figured out I should donate them somewhere.” His idea developed from that point. “I remembered that there are new immigrants in the high school, and I realized I should be donating (the laptops) to them,” he continued. Sovern’s mom put him in touch with Margaret Betteridge, a former educator at Decorah schools and a member of the Immigrant Working Group in town. The group works to welcome new immigrants to the area and helps get them on their feet. Betteridge introduced the idea to the group, and it was met with much support. He cleans and refurbishes the donated laptops himself, and his mom helps with the cleaning. He recently presented the first of the laptops to several students in the ELL (English Language Learn-
er) classes at DHS. So far, Soverns says he’s received a lot of support in his efforts. “People have been e-mailing me and texting me with donations. Every bit helps and I appreciate everyone who donates.” Sovern said. His goal is giving computers to every ELL student at high school and middle school in Decorah, and then perhaps expanding the program to the Postville area. How to donate Community members who have laptops they are no longer using can donate them and the unit’s chargers. Sovern will securely wipe all data from them. He also will clean, repair and refurbish them, finally donating them to people in need in Decorah and the surrounding areas. These computers will be loaded with educational software, productivity apps, a web browser, and many other tools, including a user-friendly software installer. To coordinate donations, contact Sovern at 563-419-1114 or decorahlaptops@gmail.com. More information can be found at qrco.de/decorah-laptop.
Vesterheim to restore Water Street building
Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, purchased a building in downtown Decorah in January, with a goal to support its folk art education programs and operations, including a new forging classroom. Located at 418 W. Water Street, across Mechanic Street from Vesterheim’s Westby-Torgerson Education Center, this building recently housed the Northeast Iowa Montessori School, which has relocated to a property on South Avenue in Decorah. Longtime Decorah residents will recall the building was formerly Christian Camera. A Vesterheim spokesperson said that preliminary engineering analysis has been completed,
Vesterheim building continued on page 7
Iowa Rotocast wins Freeport Club 45’s Hansen addresses Decorah City Council on flag policy parcel with $300,000 bid By Zach Jensen The dispute over whether or not the county should sell a piece of floodway fringe property in Freeport came to an end Monday morning, when Winneshiek County Supervisor Chair Dan Langreck opened the only bid on the property. That bid from Iowa Rotocast Plastics, Inc. (IRP) was $300,000 for the land; $90,000 more than the minimum bid established by the Board of Supervisors on April 1. The bid was opened after the public hearing, held during its May 6 regular meeting, for which
about 20 members of the public attended, with eight that voiced opinions against the sale. After the bid was accepted by the supervisors, the public’s fears were laid to rest when IRP representatives in the audience stated the company plans to install a solar field at the site. That was the company’s intention since it approached the county about purchasing the 7.21 acre parcel over six months ago. However, since
By Denise Lana Monday’s council meeting opened to a nearly full house of community members and residents who turned out to hear and speak on numerous topics. Club 45 head, Thomas Hansen came forth to address the council regarding the recent incident where Hansen was charged with violating city code when he affixed a Gadsden flag, which reads “Don’t Tread on Me” to the light pole in front of Club 45 in downtown Decorah. Hansen was found not guilty April 27 by a Winneshiek County magistrate judge, and in response, he took the opportunity to address
the council at the start of Monday’s meeting. Hansen said he believed the council was using the court to block the freedom of speech of someone with whom the council disagrees. He said the city was also violating his freedom of speech by not allowing him to hang a flag of his choosing from city-owned light poles. Hansen was vehement when demanding the city change its flag policy to reflect the city’s special
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Freeport parcel
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Envirothon Team DNR first again at state Team heads to New York for international competition this summer Two Decorah Envirothon teams recently competed in the state contest held at Jester State Park near Saylorville. And for the second year in a row, Decorah High School team DNR will advance to the International Envirothon Contest in Geneva, N.Y., July 28-Aug. 3. DHS team Skabush earned a second place at state, making this the first year Decorah teams took home first and second place at state level. The DHS teams qualified for state competition by achieving very high scores at regional competition. Along with 13 other Iowa teams, they vied for the state title and a trip to the International Envirothon Contest. Team DNR finished first at state competition, earning an expense-paid trip to New York to represent Iowa in international competition. Members include Lucas Arendt, Connor Evelsizer, Gabriel Hiner, Anders Lovstuen and Aiden Nalean-Carlson. Team DNR had the outright high score in the Aquatics, Forestry, Soils and Oral Speech categories. Team Skabush finished in second place at state.
Members include Henry Weis, Nathan Swarbrick, Alex McGohan, Riley Berns and Carson Bohner, who won the Current Issue category and finished with high scores in each of the other categories. The Envirothon is a team competition for high school students, testing their knowledge of the natural world around them. In the field and classroom, teams of five students are challenged to use their knowledge and critical thinking skills to conduct hands-on investigations, solve real-life scenarios, and answer questions covering five categories: Aquatics, Forestry, Soils, Wildlife and a current topic. This year’s current topic, “Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future,” required each five-member team to prepare and present a speech outlining a designed plan with recommendations and possible solutions to meet the current topic challenges. “I am very proud to say that 60 awesome Decorah High School students participated in the Envirothon program this year,” said advisor Larry Berland. “They offer hope for the Earth’s environment.”
Decorah High School Envirothon Team DNR earned first place at the state contest and will advance to the International Envirothon Contest in Geneva, N.Y., this summer. (submitted)
A SALUTE TO MUSIC IN SCHOOLS INSIDE!