A Saginaw area business has already done a lot to help a Dominican Republic school, and now is rallying local businesses to do more.
Teamtech Motorsports Safety, Inc of Kochville Township is owned by Curt Tucker, who recently traveled to the Dominican Republic to help develop computer and green energy systems at a school in the city of Guaymate. The school, Colegio Bautista Luz, was the recipient of a 10-computer system, including Internet, thanks to the Hopevale and Victorious Believers churches in Saginaw. But, Tucker says there's still work to be done to make the most out of the gifts.
The computers use a dial-up Internet connection on an unreliable power supply. Frequent outages are hard on the equipment, and Tucker would like to see renewable energy systems applied to keep the school running. Current backup systems include batteries and a gas generator, but solar and wind energy would provide a cheaper, more reliable system, he says.
"We are hoping to find sponsors or partial sponsors for battery backup electrical system, solar panels and wind generation to power the school completely," says Tucker. "The solar and wind ideas were developed through several of the renewable energy seminars that I have attended at Saginaw Valley State University over the past few years."
The school has more than 200 students from kindergarten through eighth grade, and the addition of the new computers already has helped advance learning at the school, as the local high school does not have any computers, and the nearest college has only two.
Tucker's goals for the school don't stop with green energy, either. He eventually would like to form a partnership with
SVSU to bring a few Dominican Republic graduates to Michigan to study, then return to their home to help move the community forward as teachers, entrepreneurs and leaders.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Curt Tucker, Teamtech Motorsports Safety, Inc.
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