As part of AT&T’s recently announced nationwide commitment to help bridge the digital divide and homework gap, AT&T is contributing $10,000 to FlagshipKansas.Tech (FlagshipKansas), an organization focused on raising awareness of innovation, growing the tech workforce in Kansas, and supporting education programs in the tech field. AT&T’s contribution will enable FlagshipKansas to host their Technology Camp HYPE (Helping Youth Prepare for Employment) Initiative program.
The Technology Camp HYPE Initiative is a summer program dedicated to promoting digital literacy for participants. The goal of the initiative is to ensure that students are equipped with skills needed to pursue a career in the tech sector. Participants will hear from AT&T and other organizations about the importance of technology and how students can find their passion. The event will take place June 13-17, 2022 on the FlagshipKansas campus in Wichita.
“The pandemic has not only exposed the need for bridging the digital divide in our state, but also the need for digital literacy for our economy.”
Molly Kocour Boyle — President, AT&T Kansas
“The pandemic has not only exposed the need for bridging the digital divide in our state, but also the need for digital literacy for our economy,” said Molly Kocour Boyle, President, AT&T Kansas. “AT&T is proud to support programs like the Technology Camp HYPE Initiative. Flagship Kansas’s collaboration with companies in tech will show students that they don’t have to move out of the state to be successful – that tech jobs are right here in this state.”
“Many people don’t realize that Kansas has a very strong tech sector,” said Ashley Scheideman, Executive Director, FlagshipKansas. “With over 1,000 tech sector companies in the state and billions in revenue generated from the tech sector, it is important that Kansas students have the necessary skills to find employment in a growing field.”
According to a report by the Kansas Health Institute, three in ten Kansans do not have access to an adequate internet connection. The lack of access spread across all income levels suggests that adequate access is not just a financial issue. Taking these stats into consideration, along with the increase of tech sector jobs in the Wichita area, organizations like FlagshipKansas are vital to bridging the digital divide.
AT&T is committing more than $2 billion over the next three years to bridge the digital divide through affordable broadband offers for both consumers and education institutions, as well as high quality educational resources and community investment through AT&T Connected Learning, a program to connect students to skills, resources, and opportunities for success in school and in life.
