K-12 students in Luzerne County got laptops and funding to squash the digital divide.
Luzerne County SHINE is an after-school program that teaches STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education and provides hot meals to students. SHINE is run by Wilkes University and supports low-income and under-served students. AT&T gave them 100 free laptops and $30,000 through their Connected Learning Initiative on Dec. 5.
SHINE’s Executive Director Carol Nicholas and her team use DreamBox – a video game that challenges students’ math and reading skills. The game ‘levels up’ as kids complete lessons in algebra, grammar, and other subjects. Nicholas said it keeps students’ brains active in and outside of the classroom.
“We’re always looking for something that’s fun,” said Nicholas. “So, it kind of disguises learning in a way that they’re not even sure that they’re learning. So, anything that’s tablet-based and game-based – they think they’re having fun. While [we’re] meeting where they are with [educational] standards and providing them with academic support to bring them even higher.”
According to SHINE staff, regular DreamBox use can increase math and reading skills by over a grade level. Across their six school districts in Luzerne County, students have logged 532 hours of lessons and completed 2,404 lessons.
Wilkes University President Greg Cant spoke to a group of SHINE students on Tuesday. He said that adults have a responsibility to invest in kids’ futures, through acting as mentors and by addressing digital inequality.
“We have all had opportunities. We have all had a chance to use technology. We’ve had someone who’d believed in us, people who support us, and we know that good things will happen. And for each of you, the reason you’re here is because one day you’re going to change the world,” said Cant. “You’re going to learn new things – this is a great tool. It’s much more fun than I ever had at school.”
AT&T’s investment in SHINE is part of their Connected Learning Initiative. David Kerr, AT&T Pennsylvania president, said the program is in connection with the state government’s efforts to increase digital access across the commonwealth.
The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) approved a five-year action plan to address broadband access in Aug. 2023.
“It’s a partnership with the government. The government’s very focused on the infrastructure piece. But what we’re doing today, and what we’re talking about today, is really the heart of it. And that is connecting with communities, connecting with students. Giving them the skills they need to prepare themselves for the future,” said Kerr.
Besides donating to local education, Kerr hinted at an upcoming expansion in broadband access in Pennsylvania.
“It’s an effort here called Gigapower, which is a multi-gigabit fiber network – a new competitor to this region. So, again, I don’t want to say too much now, you’re going to be hearing much more about this in the coming weeks and months. So, that’s going to be very exciting,” said Kerr. “That’s not directly connected to the [state’s broadband] plan, but we will certainly be working with the public sector and our friends on the state and local level on that.”
Gigapower, LCC is a joint venture between AT&T and BlackRock, a multinational investment company. They announced their partnership and plans for a NEPA expansion in May 2023.
For more information on the state’s broadband plan, read DCED’s Five-Year Action Plan. Luzerne County parents and families can learn more about SHINE on Wilkes University’s website.
