On April 2nd, 2022, seventy deserving students and their families received laptops and vital digital services through a partnership between the San Juan Capistrano-based youth services provider CREER Comunidad y Familia, Human-I-T, and Cox Communications. CREER held the event at its headquarters near Junipero Serra High School in San Juan Capistrano.
During the event, students and their families received a refurbished laptop, as well as as access to low-cost internet, free online digital skills training, and tech support. A generous grant from Cox Charities, a leading provider of home internet services for families across the country, made this collaboration possible.
Human-I-T’s Partners are Key to Bridging the Educational Digital Divide
Saturday’s event focused on closing the digital divide in San Juan Capistrano by helping our students and their families thrive in and out of the classroom. Since 2004, event host CREER Comunidad y Familia has provided educational and community development programs for at-risk children and families in South Orange County.
Executive Director Angeles Ceballos said: “The COVID-19 Pandemic made clear how disparate the communication gap is between the most vulnerable members of our community and vital resources. It is imperative that non-profit organizations, government agencies, and telecommunication companies such as Cox Communications work together to close this gap.”
Cox Communications, which operates several low-cost internet programs such as Connect2Compete and ConnectAssist, sponsored the event and technology donations. Cox dedicates substantial energy to ensuring digital equity for households of all incomes in our communities. Whether learning from home, working remotely or surfing the web, internet access is crucial for all children and adults.
Colleen Dillaway, Market Vice President for Cox Communications in Orange County, said: “At Cox we’re committed to bridging the digital divide- especially after this pandemic highlighted the importance of closing the digital gap for low-income students and families. Cox’s partnership with Human-I-T is vital to this work [and] we’re honored to support its mission.”
Individuals and organizations who want to learn more about digital inclusion services should click here.
How Laptops Can Improve Educational Outcomes for Low-Income Students
According to 2021 data provided by the White House, nearly 6% of California residents don’t have adequate internet infrastructure and 59% live in areas with only one internet provider. Unfortunately, living in a digitally disconnected household often has a negative trickle-down effect on students who live there. According to the 2021 Common Sense Media Report, digitally disconnected student often get an average GPA that’s 0.4 points lower than their digitally connected peers.
As the event’s organizer, we at Human-I-T are proud to be a leading provider of digital inclusion services and national advocate for digital equity. We partner with other community organizations and school to shrink the digital divide – the gap in opportunities between those who have access to technology and those who don’t. In fact, within six months of receiving a laptop, 80% of students see an improvement in their grades, half use their computer to learn a new skill , and 33% use their computer to apply for a new job.
Gabe Middleton, CEO of Human-I-T said: “Opportunity lives online. At Human-I-T, we believe access to technology is a right, not a privilege. Today is about providing equitable access to opportunity for 70 students and their families, which will help them to explore, discover, learn, and create a brighter future for themselves and their families. We’re proud to participate in this event not just to help students achieve their fullest potential, but also to inspire the next generation to lead with purpose.”
