OVERLAND PARK, Kan.,
Oct. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/
-- Sprint (NYSE: S) and Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) announced at
an event today that 630 high school students will receive a free
mobile device and free wireless service as part of the 1Million
Project Foundation. PPS Superintendent Anthony Hamlet Ed.D. welcomed Rep. Mike Doyle (PA-14) and representatives from
Sprint and The Heinz Endowments to Pittsburgh Westinghouse Academy
this morning where participating students received their
devices.
The 1Million Project Foundation launched in August 2017 with a mission to help one million
high school students achieve their full potential by ensuring they
have the digital tools and connectivity they need to succeed in
school. In its first year, the initiative connected 113,000
students across the country, and by the end of the 2018-19 school
year, more than 260,000 students total at over 1,700 high schools
in 33 states will receive internet access and devices.
"Today's students need equitable access to essential digital
tools and connectivity to succeed in high school," said
Doug Michelman, president of the
1Million Project Foundation. "Those students who are
disconnected when they leave school every afternoon should not be
at a disadvantage just because their families cannot provide them
connectivity at home. With the support of Sprint, a national
wireless company, and The Heinz Endowments here in Pittsburgh, we are in a powerful position to
do something about this problem by arming eligible students with
the critical tools they need to succeed and to believe that they
can succeed."
Right here in the U.S., there are more than five million
families with school-aged kids who do not have home internet
access.1 Unfortunately, this means that millions of
students lack the devices and connectivity needed to have an equal
shot at success.
In Pittsburgh, nearly 65
percent of PPS students are considered 'economically disadvantaged'
by the Pennsylvania Department of Education,2 and over
50 percent of households earnings less than $20,000 per year lack a broadband Internet
connection in the home.3
"I believe that when students have the access and the tools they
need to learn, the entire community benefits," Congressman
Doyle said at today's event. "I want to commend The Sprint
Foundation and the Heinz Endowments for providing these students
with devices that will enable them to access the internet."
"The digitalization of our society means that access to
technology is critical if we are going to ensure all students
graduate prepared for college, career, and life," said
Superintendent Anthony Hamlet
Ed.D. "We are grateful to The Heinz Endowments and
Sprint 1Million Project Foundation for supporting this step forward
in closing the digital divide we know contributes to widening
disparities in student achievement."
The 1Million Project Foundation will distribute devices and
provide service to eligible students at the following PPS high
schools:
- Brashear High School
- Creative and Performing Arts
- Carrick High School
- Milliones, University Prep School
- Obama Academy of International Studies
- Online Academy
- Perry Traditional Academy
- Science & Technology Academy
- Taylor Allderdice High
School
- Westinghouse Academy
Each participating student will receive either a free
smartphone, tablet, or hotspot device and 3GB of high-speed LTE
data per month for up to four years while they are in high school.
Unlimited data is available at 265 kbps speeds if usage exceeds 3GB
in a month. Every device has a Free Children's Internet Protection
Act (CIPA) compliant content filter to block adult content and
malware. Students who receive a smartphone receive unlimited voice
and text while on the Sprint network and may also use it as a
hotspot.
In a survey of those who participated in the first year of the
program, the vast majority of students (84%) said the 1Million
Project made it easier for them to complete more of their homework
in a comfortable, convenient, and safe place. Looking forward, 74%
said they are more willing to work hard to graduate from high
school. And, 68% said they are more likely to go to college.
Administrators reported improved attitudes toward learnings,
homework completion rates and school attendance among students.
Schools or districts who want to apply for the third year of the
program, which begins with the 2019-2020 school year, can visit
www.1millionproject.org to learn more. Applicants will receive a
response by spring 2019.
Anyone looking to support the program can visit
1millionproject.org/donate to make a donation via credit
card.2
About The Heinz Endowments:
The Heinz Endowments is
devoted to the mission of helping southwestern Pennsylvania prosper as a vibrant center of
creativity, learning, and social, economic and environmental
sustainability. Core to our work is the vision of a just
community where all are included and where everyone who calls our
region home has a real and meaningful opportunity to thrive.
About The 1Million Project Foundation:
The 1Million
Project Foundation will help 1 million high school students who do
not have reliable Internet access at home reach their full
potential by giving them mobile devices and free high-speed
Internet access. Today's learning environment requires 24/7
internet access in order to study, learn, explore and complete
school work from home. Students that cannot connect when they leave
school are at disadvantage, and their chances of staying on track
in school are greatly limited. By working with school districts
across America, the 1Million Project seeks to remove a significant
hurdle in these students' lives by ensuring they have the same
access to the internet as any other student so that they too have a
fair shot at achieving their full potential. For more information,
visit www.1MillionProject.org.
About Sprint:
Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications
services company that creates more and better ways to connect
its customers to the things they care about most. Sprint
served 54.6 million connections as of June
30, 2018 and is widely recognized for developing,
engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the
first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands
including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost
Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international
push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet
backbone. Today, Sprint's legacy of innovation and service
continues with an increased investment to dramatically improve
coverage, reliability, and speed across its nationwide network
and commitment to launching the first 5G mobile
network in the U.S. You can learn more and visit Sprint
at www.sprint.com or
www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
1 The Pew Research Center
(http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/20/the-numbers-behind-the-broadband-homework-gap/)
2 Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pittsburgh School District Performance Profile
(http://paschoolperformance.org/Profile/362)
3 2015 American Census Community Survey
(http://www.governing.com/topics/transportation-infrastructure/gov-digital-divide-low-income-households.html)
4 Cash donations for the 1Million Project
Foundation are tax-deductible charitable contributions.
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SOURCE Sprint