Hamden Hall Student Repairs It Forward

Eighth-grader Andrei Balas has transformed his personal computer refurbishing project into community philanthropy as he works with organizations to donate the newly programed computers to those in need.

Andrei’s endeavor began back in 2020 when school turned into online classes and Zoom meetings. As students migrated over to the remote learning format, Andrei began to realize how important the need for Internet capabilities and digital technology had become to succeed in online learning.

“Technology and access to the Internet has become a mainstay in education and not everyone is fortunate enough to have a reliable device or tools necessary to adapt to the new way of learning,” said Andrei. “The issue continued to rise as today you need a laptop, smartphone, and even a tablet to be productive. 

Andrei’s project stems from his passion for the disciplines of computer science and STEM – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. He is a participant in Hamden Hall’s Science, Innovation & Design (SID) signature program under the mentorship of Dr. Frank Gasparro.  

“From the very first time I met Andre, I was impressed with his intellect and initiative,” said Dr. Gasparro. “As an eighth-grader, he's enrolled in Honors Biology and yet he still had time to work on this project. I encourage him to think big and thus he is seeking additional computer donations to upgrade so he can help more people. This is just one small step towards a bright future for him in our SID program.” 

As for Andrei’s interest in how things work and operate, he said being introduced to Legos around the age of 3 had an impact. He believes there is a connection between building Lego sets and the world of engineering as “putting things together and taking them apart is the basic concept of mechanics.”

Andrei’s current project began with a set of old, unused computers. To start the process, he would swipe the hard drives clean of any stored information. Based on the make and model of the computer, he would download and install a compatible operating system using the program software CloudReady. The software is built using Google’s operating system, which converts the programming modules in the device into the most up-to-date version. Additionally, he would upgrade the internal processors and memory drive. Once complete, the performance uplift allows people to use the computers for remote learning or to simply have for access to the Internet.

As technology-based learning has become vital in education over the last two years, the deficit has become more apparent amongst underserved communities. Andrei plans to work with the Safe Harbor Organization in Southington, Conn., to donate the refurbished computers. Safe Harbor is a community-based refugee resettlement group working together to help newly settled families acclimate to the community and provide any necessary assistance. As the son of immigrants, Andrei said he wants to help refugees in any way possible. He understands the imperative need in bridging the gap of the digital divide amongst students and individuals in need.

According to Safe Harbor Southington spokesperson Cheryl Lounsbury, the group hopes to help resettle an Afghanistan or Ukrainian family in the Southington community by early summer. To do that, Safe Harbor Southington is hoping find those willing to help the refugees locate appropriate housing, learn English, get furniture and clothing and become integrated into medical and education systems. 

According to Andrei’s mother, Dr. Monica Munteanu Balas, who recently attended the Safe Harbor Southington public information session, his larger goal is to fight the technological gap in education and donate the computers to schools and to students who need them in order to be able to continue their education. 

“Andrei is committed to continue this project in the future and he hopes his example will inspire others in Hamden Hall and outside of the school to donate their unused, old computers to be refurbished and donated.”