Program offers internet access to Monessen students
By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com
Students in the Monessen School District will soon have more accessible internet access outside of the classroom.
Thanks to help from the Community Foundation of Westmoreland County in collaboration with the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, a new program will be introduced to Monessen students to support their education, which has drastically changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program, offered through the Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette and paid for through a Nita M. Lowery 21st CCLC grant, will provide Wi-Fi units to students who are enrolled in the 21st Century After School Program.
It’s the fourth year the Private Industry Council has offered the after school program in Monessen, but it will be the first year students have been provided access to free Wi-Fi.
The Mi-Fi devices, also called jet packs, can connect up to 10 devices in a home and will allow students and members of their family to participate in virtual learning activities.
The Mi-Fi hot spot devices will be active through the summer of 2021, so that students can participate in PIC’s summer programming, should it be delivered again virtually. Students will take the mobile Mi-Fi units with them between programs and can take them to various homes or with them while traveling.
In addition to educational curriculum, families will be able to access after-school and summer S.T.E.M. lessons provided by PIC, job seeker services, higher education opportunities, medical e-wellness appointments, counseling and therapist virtual visits.
PIC President and CEO Shujuane Martin said the project will help mitigate a digital divide that has become more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This summer we realized the need,” Martin said. “Our summer program was offered virtually, but there were families that did not have connectivity and therefore their children could not participate in the learning and enrichment activities that PIC offered.”
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