It's the largest gift ever for Niles schools and it is keeping a technology project alive.

Tuesday Oak Manor Sixth Grade Center celebrated a 350,000 dollar donation.

Five years ago the school bought laptops for every student thanks to a new technology project from the state. The school was named a technology showcase school by the Michigan Department of Education for its high-tech and innovative curriculum, but recently the computers started to fail and needed replacing.

Three local foundations and a deep discount from Apple helped the school buy all new laptops for every student. Huizenga, Wood, and Hunter Foundation all helped donate money to make the project possible.

“The quicker you can get the computers in front of the students the better off a lot of the students will be. A lot of them are already familiar with PCs and they have laptops. The students will be able to go between the two and I think that enhances their abilities to get these technical jobs,” says Oak Manor teacher Adam Zmudzinksi.

“Our children in sixth grade are ripe for the picking. They are ready to learn, ready for science and technology and math, ready for all of it. All we need to do is give them the tools and they will soar,” says Judy Truesdell from the Huizenga Foundation.

Three-hundred computers were bought. Students will use them to take tests, present projects, and research on the internet.

Niles schools hope to start the project for 7th and 8th graders next year.