Several soon-to-be graduates from Watervliet High School were recently awarded laptop computers from the Watervliet Housing Authority to ensure they have the technology necessary for success as they pursue higher education and prepare for future careers in business, healthcare, and the skilled trades.
Watervliet High School alum Miranda Luck, who graduated from RPI’s School of Architecture this year, joined Watervliet Housing Authority Executive Director Matthew Ethier to present the laptops to a total of nine graduating seniors – six from Watervliet and three from the Heatly School in Green Island.
As a laptop recipient in 2020, Miranda recalled how this special gift from the WHA helped support her success at RPI.
“That laptop relieved the financial burden of having to buy one before classes started – a cost that can be overwhelming for many students and families,” she said. “It meant one less thing to worry about during those hectic first weeks of college. So, thank you to the Housing Authority for continuing to invest in students’ futures.”
Miranda, the first in her family to graduate from college, shared advice with the graduating seniors based on her own college experience, and said this:
“I used to hear the phrase ‘the sky’s the limit,’ but I always felt it was too small. Why stop at the sky? I aimed higher – and no challenge has felt too big since. Remember thar the limit is as high as you set it for yourself. You are in charge of your goals, your success, and how far you’ll go.”
She concluded by encouraging the seniors to pursue their goals and dreams with confidence.
We celebrate the following high school seniors as they step forward with determination, whether through college or career training, ready to achieve their goals:
- Talisia Johnson-Taylor, Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing
- Ava Urquhart, Hudson Valley Community College
- Kasiah Poole, Misericordia University
- Trevor Holloway, Hudson Valley Community College
- Daron Bell-Burden, Capital District Educational Opportunity Center
- Jean Paul Colon-Rodriguez, Capital District Educational Opportunity Center
More about the Laptops for Graduating Seniors program
The Housing Authority started the “Laptops for Graduating Seniors” program nearly two decades ago with support from community sponsors to provide computers to high school seniors who may not otherwise have the resources to purchase their own. The only expectation required by the Housing Authority is that recipients complete at least one full year of college to keep the laptop.
Special thanks to the Watervliet-Colonie Elks for their especially generous donation this year in support of the laptop program, and to Ahmed Ali for equipping the laptops with software programs, including Microsoft Office Suite, that are essential for college-level course work.
