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14 CPS Students Surprised With New Laptops

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Former Bears lineman James "Big Cat" Williams surprised several Chicago Public Schools students with new laptop computers, after they won a program designed to help them with getting into college.

The Get Schooled program, sponsored by the Gates Foundation, offered the laptops as rewards for completing challenges designed to help high school students prepare for college entrance exams, filling out college applications, and applying for financial aid.

Williams delivered the goods Thursday morning to 14 CPS high school students, including Deisy Cardenas and Rosa Portillo, who are soccer players at Kelly High School.

"It's going to help me in school to finish my college applications," Portillo said.

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Cardenas said she planned to use her computer to get started on scholarship applications.

Kelly principal Jim Coughlin said he is "very proud" of Portillo and Cardenas.

"The coaching staff has always understood its job is to get the character into them, not just the skills, and these kids are really really focused; and focused on what they can do after they leave Kelly," he said.

Soccer coach Stan Mietus said, "We have them here for four years, so we want to make sure they come out of here ready for live, because there's so many obstacles they have to face."

Williams said he got a kick out of handing out the computers.

"Kids winning something; put in the work, they won something," he said.

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