The Washington Street Community Center received some much needed new computers, courtesy of a monetary donation from local industry H.B. Fuller.

The donation was used to buy new laptop and desktop computers, which will help the community center beef up its tutoring and educational programs, said executive director Bea Jackson.

The new computers are part of an overall effort to improve technology at the center, an education nonprofit located on School Street in Covington and focused on helping students in the black community.

Jackson said the center will be networking its computers this summer, so they can transfer information back and forth more quickly.

The center also fairly recently received six laptops and two SMART Boards from the Newton County School System; the equipment came to the center because of its partnership with the school system through the 21st Century Grant program, which recently ended. The school system also gave technical advice to the center for the purchase of the latest laptop and desktop computers. The center chose computers that line up with the school system’s computers, so students have consistency in the technology they use.

Jackson hopes the new technology will help immediately as Criterion-Referenced Competency Test preparation gets underway at the center. Having laptops will allow students to work on computers throughout the building, not just in the small lab area.

In other news, the center is planning a Unity Day celebration soon and is preparing for the annual Jazz by the River celebration at the Porterdale Mill Lofts in Porterdale June 7. More details on both events will follow.

The center is also hosting a comedy show April 27 at the Nelson Heights Community Center, which is located at the intersection of Laseter and Puckett streets in Covington.