Christopher Frampton, 12, was deep into his Warcraft 3 computer game battle in the technology room of the Burbank Boys & Girls Club on Friday.
The club had just received a donation of nine new computers and 18 workstations to replace its outdated, 6-year-old equipment, but Christopher was still hard at play on one of the older PCs.
He helped set up the new computers, which were donated to the center through the Boys & Girls Club of America Foundation, but had not had a chance to test them out.
"I really want to try it out though," Christopher said, his eyes fixed to the colorful screen of the monitor in front of him.
The donated additions to the club's technology center are numerous, amounting to a value of at least $6,500.
Flat LCD screen monitors and brand new personal computers were set up, in addition to the nine older computers in the room.
"They were looking for Boys & Girls Clubs that were in need of technology equipment and we definitely needed more technology equipment," said Albert Hernandez, program director at the Boys & Girls Club.
Rent-A-Center, a furniture retailer, provided new couches and a wide-screen television through a $5,000 grant.
The Burbank Noon Rotary Club donated $1,500 for workstations for the existing and new computers. Hernandez was excited about the new set-up when the technology room was revealed to the students.
"Just to see flat screens in here is amazing," he said.
Christopher said he uses the computers evenly, varying between games, homework and typing classes.
As for the new chairs, he said he liked the softer, old ones the technology room used to have.
Christopher's Warcraft 3 opponent, Josh Baldacci, 11, of Burbank, said he uses the computers mostly for homework.
He was excited about the prospect of being the first to break the seal on the new computers, he said.
"I'm excited just because I just like using a new computer," Josh said. "I get to be one of the first ones to use it."
He's not the only one. While Gage Hollingsworth, 10, of Glendale played a stick figure fighting game on one of the new computers, his friend Eric Aghakhani, 10, of Burbank sat down at the computer next to him and furrowed his brows at the plastic lining on the mouse.
"Can we take this stuff off?" Eric asked. Gage gave him a sideways nod.
"Yeah, man," he said. "Just take it off. They're new."
