ALEXANDRIA, Va. (WDVM) — Students were gifted desks to have a work station from home during the virtual school year on Thursday.
The desks were a part of a collaboration between Virginia Tech, problem-solving organization Building Momentum, and Alexandria City Public Schools.
The desks were delivered to students at Casa Chirilagua, a non-profit in a Latino-based neighborhood that serves more than 80 students.
The surprise was truly a team effort — Building Momentum designed the desks, Virginia Tech students and alumni helped construct them, and the Carpenter’s Union donated the materials.
The desks are essential for students to bring home with them, as some students in the community don’t have access to a workspace during the virtual school year.
“The education gap for this community,” said Lisa Aneiva, Development Director at Casa Chirilagua. “Students tend to fall behind academically and there are many barriers to their education. So being able to introduce a solution for this particular barrier of them not having a place to study, is so tremendously important for the academic success for these students.”