New Season, New Skills — August 2026
As summer winds down and backpacks come out of the closet, there’s a real sense of fresh starts in the air. New school years bring new goals, new challenges, and new opportunities to learn. From one year of training veterans at Goodwill to a board member spotlight, a license plate fundraiser past the halfway mark, a CyberPatriot team with new laptops, and a night at the ballpark, here’s how AZ StRUT opened opportunities this month.
One Year Strong: AZ StRUT and the Goodwill Veteran Career Center
Over the past year, AZ StRUT has provided 202 veterans with refurbished laptops through our partnership with the Veteran Career Center (VCC) at Goodwill in Phoenix.
We’ve conducted Hardware Techie Experiences once or twice a month, giving these veterans hands-on training in computer hardware and a refurbished laptop of their own to keep. AZ StRUT is pleased to mark one year of this great partnership, and we look forward to continuing to support veterans as they build new skills and career opportunities.
Board Member Spotlight: Todd Dorris
Todd Dorris has served on AZ StRUT’s board since 2009 — first as Board Secretary and, since 2019, as Vice President.
A Georgia Tech mechanical engineering graduate, Todd surveyed pipelines across the country and worked for Arizona’s Department of Environmental Quality before joining Intel in 1996. At Intel he spent nearly three decades leading global environmental initiatives until his retirement in 2024.
Succeeding in a career built on making sure things are done right, Todd has been instrumental in AZ StRUT’s past 15 years — and we look forward to many more!
Halfway There! License Plate Fundraiser Gaining Momentum
We’re excited to share that we’ve passed the halfway mark toward our License Plate fundraising goal of $32,000! A huge thank you to Diana Herron, a longtime and generous supporter of AZ StRUT, who donated half of the total goal amount herself.
Diana’s gift got us over the hump, but she intentionally left plenty of room for others to join in and help us cross the finish line. Every dollar brings us closer to funding our mission of closing the digital divide for students, veterans, and families across Arizona.
Will you help us close the gap?
Distribution of the Month
AZ StRUT provided three Lenovo ThinkPad laptops to the Air Force JROTC CyberPatriot Team at Higley High School to support students as they develop cybersecurity skills and prepare for competitions.
The team was started last year by its Aerospace Science Instructor, Jessica McDevitt, SMSgt USAF (Retired), who shared that one of the team’s biggest challenges during its first season was having enough computers for all of the students to practice at the same time.
The additional laptops will allow more students to participate in hands-on training, work in smaller teams, and gain valuable experience as they prepare for CyberPatriot competitions. We’re proud to support these exceptional youth!
Night Out at the Ballpark
Thanks to our friends at Treasures 4 Teachers, our team had a fun night out at the ballpark!
AZ StRUT employees and volunteers were treated to an evening unwinding and cheering on the home team together.
A big “thank you” to Treasures 4 Teachers and the Arizona Diamondbacks for helping our team recharge and celebrate 🎵 at the old baaall gaaaame! 🎵
Be a Support for Students in Need
Back to school always reminds us how many people don’t have regular access to the devices or connectivity necessary for education. The official AZ StRUT Arizona License Plate will help fund our mission to close that gap. Now is the time! You can help ensure more students and families have the tools they need to succeed. Make a donation today and help create the next story of possibility.
|
AZ StRUT’s mission is to improve the competitiveness of Arizona’s technical workforce by supporting applied learning through scholarships and donated technology, providing refurbished equipment to schools and nonprofits, promoting diversity in technical education, and ensuring responsible electronic recycling.
