A recent Samsung donation in the amount of $140,000 will go towards helping improve classroom technology at the Fort McMurray Public School District. In addition to the donation for local schools Samsung is also donating $100,000 in cash to the Canadian Red Cross to help in efforts to rebuild the community and get things back to normal once more after the wildfire and evacuation. A news release by Mark Childs, the Chief Brand Officer of Samsung Canada, stated “The teamwork, strength, and spirit demonstrated by Fort McMurray residents since the tragedy stuck in May continues to be an inspiration for our entire team.” Schools which had a close proximity to the fire lost much of their technology resources, and the budget is not enough to cover replacing all of the technology that was lost in time for the school year to start.

Fort McMurray Public School District director of technology Ali Syed was grateful for the Samsung donation. According to Syed “We sustained some heavy losses due to smoke damage. We’re really excited about this, it’s a fantastic opportunity,” he said. “[Teachers] can use it in language arts, math, science and geography. It’s just all about the kids.” The donated technology will be used in local schools which have technology trade academies and STEM camps first. These schools include Westview Elementary, Fort McMurray Islamic School, Dr. K.A. Clark, Fort McMurray Christian School, Greely Road, and the Timberlea and Christina Gordon combined schools. Syed explained that “We see the greatest impact of this donation in these particular schools. They were the most affected by the wildfire.”