The Fort Smith Boys and Girls Clubs received a $50,000 contribution from AT&T to help low-income and underserved children ages 6-18 with training in critical digital skills, including online safety, digital privacy, digital citizenship, and basic keyboarding and typing skills. The contribution also supports the Club’s Digital Lab and other digital literacy training.
165 laptops will be given to Ft. Smith students and families as part of AT&T’s nationwide commitment to help bridge the digital divide. The laptops were funded by an AT&T donation to Human I-T.
The students also will have access to The Achievery, a free online learning platform created by AT&T to provide K-12 students with engaging and entertaining content paired with learning activities for everywhere today’s connected students learn.
Why is this important?
This contribution is part of the AT&T Connected Learning initiative, created as part of AT&T’s companywide commitment to help address the digital divide through internet accessibility, affordability and safe adoption.
What are people saying?
“Our goal is to really help students fully participate in the modern digital world. Through AT&T’s financial contribution to support digital learning and their donation of 165 laptops, AT&T has fulfilled a huge community need. The Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs recognize that there is a huge need for our members to have laptops that they can take home with them for continuous learning from school or the Clubs. To be able to put technology into the families’ and the kids’ hands better prepares them for the future,” said Beth Presley, CEO of Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs.
“The City of Fort Smith is honored to receive AT&T’s financial and technological contributions to serve the children and families of our community. This gift will go a long way to helping families, supporting their well-being, and ensuring that children receive a Christmas where miracles really do happen,” said Fort Smith Mayor George McGill.
“The Fort Smith Boys and Girls Clubs play an important role in helping children in Fort Smith learn the skills and tools they need to thrive in the digital economy. The Club has a strong record of success supporting and lifting up young people in Fort Smith, and that’s why we support their work and the families they serve,” said Lisa Lake, regional director for AT&T External Affairs in Arkansas.
For more information about AT&T in Arkansas, visit Arkansas.att.com.
*About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T
We’re committed to advancing education, creating opportunities, strengthening communities and improving lives. As part of our companywide commitment to address the digital divide, we launched AT&T Connected Learning to invest in connectivity and technology, digital literacy, and education solutions to help today’s learners succeed inside and outside of the classroom. Since 2008, we’ve committed to programs that help millions of students across all 50 states and around the world, particularly those in underserved communities.
