Delkys Ortiz Pena lived in the Dominican Republic, where his father physically and verbally abused his mother. Then, the seizures started. Even though he was diagnosed with epilepsy, his father said he was “faking it.” Two years ago, Delkys, his mom and sisters escaped his father’s abuse by moving to the United States. He started working at a McDonalds, but realized there was much more out there for him than working in a fast food restaurant. A social worker told him about Per Scholas. He applied and immediately focused on his studies, even as he worked nights at McDonalds. He graduated in June, second in his class. He interned at Per Scholas and soon got a job for a midtown technology company working on client IT issues. The future looks good for Delkys. He’d like to go back to school to study business management. His epilepsy is under control. He is helping to support his family and pay for his sister’s college education. He thanks Per Scholas for getting him on track for a successful career. His success story is indisputable proof that the American Dream still lives.

Per Scholas was founded in 1995 to train Bronx residents to refurbish computers, then distribute them at low cost to schools and low-income families, thus helping to bridge the digital divide. The organization’s full-time job training program teaches assembly, installation and repair of personal computers, printers and copiers, as well as the design, installation and troubleshooting of networks. Students also prepare for the A+ certification, a highly marketable credential recognized throughout the industry, which can enable them to get high paying jobs. With Robin Hood’s support, Per Scholas’ capacity has tripled and its training program enrollment has increased by 25 percent. Per Scholas has received donations of used computers from more than 200 corporate partners, trained 3,000 low-income New Yorkers for jobs in the technology field and provided nearly 80,000 households with computers.