Walking into the gym at Arsenal Technical High School provided a striking contrast: a beautiful building that’s been around since the 1800s, filled with computers dedicated to connecting young people to modern-day technology.
A couple of weeks ago, that was the scene at this Indianapolis high school on the near east side of the city. At an event organized by Human-I-T, AT&T was there to distribute 300 refurbished laptops to students served by Indianapolis Public Schools and the Indiana Youth Group. As part of our AT&T Connected Learning® initiative, the event aimed to help bridge the digital divide and connect kids to greater possibilities.
One of the students who received a computer at Arsenal Tech said she would use it to write essays and do research on different authors.
“It will allow me to take my education further. I’ll get to explore more,” she said.
Another was excited that his laptop would be his – and only his.
“This means I can work on my computer whenever I want. And I can keep all of my personal documents on it,” he said. “I can use it to study and watch YouTube videos about mathematics.”
Kenya Anderson, senior director of client services for the Indiana Youth Group, which supports and advocates for young people in the LGBTQ+ community, graduated from Arsenal Technical High School herself.
“I remember not having a computer in high school and it was tough,” Anderson said. “There’s no question that these laptops are necessary in this very digital world.”
“Thank you to AT&T and Human-I-T for opening doors and providing a brighter pathway for our kids,” she added. “And to the students here today – you had to make the choice to be here, so thank you for investing in your own future.”
The 300 refurbished laptops were funded by an AT&T donation to Human-I-T. It was a continuation of AT&T’s collaboration with NBA Cares during NBA All-Star 2024 as part of an ongoing commitment to support local community organizations in Indiana.
Former Indiana Pacers Point Guard and Indianapolis native Jeff Teague, City of Indianapolis Deputy Mayor Judith Thomas, State Senator Andrea Hunley, and IPS District Director of Athletics Darren Thomas also joined AT&T and Human-I-T to distribute the laptops.
We’re excited to keep the momentum building toward closing the digital here in Indiana and across the country. In fact, AT&T recently deepened our commitment to this cause by $3 billion dollars, for a total of $5 billion to help bridge the digital divide throughout the decade. Our goal is to help 25 million Americans get and stay connected by 2030, and in doing so, continue to change lives and communities.
