We all know how important computers are in our everyday lives. To a freshman in college, having access to a computer is extremely important. But, having a laptop, could easily become the difference between passing or failing a class (or classes).

We Embrace is a nonprofit that recognizes the importance of higher education as well as the importance of computers in a college-bound student’s life. The mission of the nonprofit states, “We Embrace is a nonprofit organization whose ultimate goal is to enrich and empower youth, as well as impoverished families, in our communities, via technology. We provide a variety of items to the community, ranging from computers for high school students (who maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.0 or above) …”

In this post, we are showcasing We Embrace’s generosity to high school students who maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or above.  Starting today, We Embrace is holding an essay contest for high school seniors who currently have a GPA of 3.0 or above and they have already been accepted into a four-year university.   The essay must address the following topic:  “My Contributions To Society Are…” and must be a minimum of 800 words.  The font-size should be 12, Times New Roman and the deadline for submission is August 15, 2009.  Submissions are accepted via email only.

The winner of the essay contest will receive a brand new laptop!  For those of you that are skeptical of this nonprofit, I can personally guarantee that it is on the up and up.  Thomas and I started We Embrace in 2004 because we are both IT professionals.  We realize and understand the importance of computers in one’s life, especially as a student, and we just want to help out as much as we can.  If you know a graduating high school senior, who is attending a four-year university this fall, please pass this information on to them.  If you like what we’re trying to do, please let us know, either here on 7DayBuzz or at weembrace@weembrace.com.  If you are interested in making a donation to We Embrace, please contact us so that we can tell you how to do that.

Just to recap, the deadline for the We Embrace essay contest is May 31, 2009 and the email address for students to submit their essays is:  seniors@weembrace.com.  NOTE:  The winner will have to submit proof of acceptance into the university and proof that their GPA is at least 3.0.

If you want to read up on We Embrace, please visit our website at www.weembrace.com

On Saturday, January 10, 2009, in Anchorage, Alaska, a convicted sex offender came forward to claim a $500,000 jackpot.  Okay, that’s not bad, right?  But, here’s the “things that make you go hmmmm” part:  The jackpot was the result of an Alaska lottery, called Lucky Time Pull Tabs, that donates its proceeds to a nonprofit group, Standing Together Against Rape, which, among other services, offers support to sexual assault victims!  It seems that the convicted sex offender is a two-time offender as he was convicted in 1993 and 2000 for sexual abuse of a minor!

According to Nancy Haag, the nonprofit’s executive director, “It’s not how we had envisioned the story going.”  Uh, Nancy, that is the understatement of the year (so far anyway).  According to FBI statistics, Alaska has the highest per capita number of rape cases in the United States.  Haag further stated, “With a ranking that high, it’s ironic that the person who wins is a convicted sex offender.”

Efforts to reach lottery organizer Abe Spicola, who owns Lucky Times Pull Tabs, were unsuccessful late Monday. But Spicola told the Anchorage Daily News that the winner “was going to buy a house and said he was going to donate part of it to God, and, you know, charity.”

Talk about irony, right?