On a late August afternoon in Dayton, more than a hundred students were excited about a back-to-school event.
Yes. You read that right.
Why were they excited? Not only were they receiving a backpack stuffed with supplies, but it was the other item — a free laptop of their very own — that had them thinking about all the possibilities ahead.
Dayton’s Mayor attended the event, and he was thinking of the future too.
“These laptops can open a new world of possibilities for students. These amazing young people deserve to have the tools they need to learn, develop new skills, and grow their education and career opportunities,” said Dayton Mayor Jeffrey J. Mims Jr.
The laptops were provided by AT&T and Human-I-T who worked with OMEGA Community Development Corporation (CDC) in Dayton to provide 145 refurbished laptops and backpacks to Dayton students in need.
“Access to technology is no longer optional — it’s part of a child’s foundation for learning,” said Vanessa Ward, President of OMEGA CDC. “These laptops will help our students stay engaged, complete their work, and see what’s possible. We’re thankful to AT&T for helping us put the right tools in their hands at the right time.”
AT&T has supported programs to distribute more than 4,000 devices to students and their families across Ohio.
“AT&T is proud to collaborate with OMEGA CDC to help more students in Dayton get connected,” said Sarah Briggs, Director, AT&T Ohio. “Connectivity is vital for students, and we’re glad we can provide these resources to those that need them most.”
This event was part of a broader AT&T employee effort to help bridge the digital divide and distribute 30,000 backpacks filled with school supplies and laptops to students in qualifying households before they head back to school. The backpacks included supplies like notebooks, pencils and headphones, as well as cards of encouragement written by AT&T employees.
This effort is part of AT&T’s initiative to help address the digital divide through internet accessibility, affordability and safe adoption. AT&T is committing $5 billion to help 25 million people get and stay connected to high-speed internet by 2030.
