“Laptops for Success,” this is how I think about the program that we created in 2006 at South Lakes High School in Reston, Virginia.  We are looking for support so that we can provide more graduating seniors with this wonderful opportunity to receive a gift of a laptop as they go off to college.

Over the last few years, the “Laptops for Success” scholarship fund has awarded twenty seven laptops to very deserving seniors with post secondary plans to attend a university. These students are amazing: despite facing many challenges during their high school careers, all the students have excelled academically. For example, some students overcame obstacles due to language barriers while others faced difficult family situations. All the students are from families of limited financial means and purchasing a computer would not have been possible for them. The intent of the fund is to provide the students with a computer for college, a needed tool to be successful on any campus.  An additional interest is to encourage the students to pursue their dreams with our belief in their ability to succeed. 

We are proud to report that all laptop recipients - 100% - are still striving for their college degree.  The feedback from the students supports our mission. Please take a moment to browse our student profiles as they tell their stories about how important their laptops are to their academic success.

South Lakes High School is a dynamic high school located in the heart of our sophisticated business community of Reston, Virginia. A true reflection of the Washington DC metropolitan area, South Lakes students represent sixty nine countries and speak fifty four languages. This extremely diverse population of 1,850 students is comprised of  12% Asian or Pacific Islanders, 21% Blacks; 17% Hispanics; 44% Whites; and 6% others (2007-08 statistics). While we celebrate the diversity, there are challenges.  More than 17% of the students have limited English proficiency, and approximately 30% are eligible for the federally funded Free and Reduced Lunch program.  In 2009 88.5% of South Lakes graduates continued their education by attending a two- or four-year college. 

South Lakes High School is a tax-exempt Fairfax County Public School and donations to the fund are tax deductible.  An account has been created at the high school so that donations go directly into the scholarship fund.  The project goal is to award ten laptops in 2009. Contributions of any amount are welcome! Your donation helps provide a laptop to a student who would otherwise head off to college without one. 

Marie Assir

Program Founder

Laptops for Success

For more information please contact:

    South Lakes High School

    11400 South Lakes Drive

    Reston, VA 20191

    703.715.4592

    Email: Shannon.ChastainTully@fcps.edu