Bright House Networks

Net Literacy is grateful that Bright House Networks took a chance on a group of middle school students that in 2004, wanted to reduce the digital divide and increase Internet safety awareness. Since then, Bright House Networks and Net Literacy have partnered together, donating more than 5,000 computers to schools and nonprofits. Bright House Networks has also supported Net Literacy’s student volunteers helping them to produce Internet safety PSAs and has carried them on their networks.

Listen to Bright House Networks’ Brooke Krodel explain why Bright House Networks has helped Net Literacy’s students for so many years, by clicking on the logo below.

Thank you Bright House Networks, for giving back to the community that you serve and making a difference to so many. To watch a video of the City of Indianapolis proclaiming Bright House Networks and the Techpoint Foundation Day, click on this link.

Respectfully,

Daniel Kent
Student President

Net Literacy Computer Distribution Map for Indiana

With the support of Bright House Networks, Intel, and the Techpoint Foundation, Net Literacy continues to expand its partnership with the Indiana Association of United Ways. In 2010, Net Literacy provided 4,000 computers to 17 counties in Indiana, and has provided over 12,000 computers to schools, libraries, and other nonprofits during the last three years alone.

“Since January of 2011, Net Literacy has already provided over three hundred computers to thirteen counties, and we are on track to donate another 4,000 computers to schools, libraries, and other nonprofits this year. Through our partnership with the Indiana Department of Administration, and organizations including Carmel Clay Schools, the City of Indianapolis, the Town of Fishers, Angie’s List, Marsh, and the Carmel Clay Library, in addition to hundred of individual donations, teams of student volunteers in over 20 schools throughout Indiana will all be helping to reduce the digital divide and increasing digital inclusion. It’s a team effort,” says Daniel Kent. “We have more than 500 computers that have been dedicated to our initiative with the United way that will increase computer access in at least 17 additional counties this year, and that excludes 750 additional computers being made available to schools through our partnership with the IDOE, IDOA, and IOT.”

For more information, contact Daniel Kent at danielkent@netliteracy.org

Net Literacy was invited to address 150 members of the North Dakota Association of Telecommunication Cooperatives’ annual meeting in December, 2010. The NDATC serves 158,000 customers and supports digital inclusion and digital literacy as a matter of good public policy, keeping rural America vital, and enriching the lives of thousands of North Dakota residents. Net Literacy makes its content available to all state associations that are members of the USIIA.

For additional information, contact donkent@netliteracy.org

Techpoint Foundation

The Techpoint Foundation was instrumental in the creation of Net Literacy, providing Net Literacy its first funding by matching a grant from Bright House Networks in 2004. Since then, the Techpoint Foundation has continued to support Net Literacy by also providing mentoring, guidance, and advocacy. In 2005, Techpoint Foundation Vice Chair Marv Bailey joined the Net Literacy Board of Directors and in 2009, Techpoint Foundation Board member Damon Richards joined the Net Literacy Board of Directors.

In 2009, Net Literacy’s Student Executive Committee (Will Petrovic, Brian Kelley, and Daniel Kent) submitted an $8,000 grant request which supported 20 of Net Literacy chapters’ volunteering efforts. The chapters also competed for four $1,000 grants and the winning schools’ programs ranged from conducting summer camps that repurposed hundreds of computers and constructed a website, to teaching hundreds of elementary school students Internet safety skills. The Student Executive Committee was also involved in the selection and awarding of the grants to the chapters.

In 2010, Net Literacy’s Student Executive Committee requested last year’s combination of chapter mini-grants and $1000 grants be continued, and also applied for an additional $4,000 to help expand the use of technology to youth-oriented nonprofits in rural Indiana interested in building or expanding computer labs, for a $12,000 grant request.

The additional $4,000 will enable Net Literacy to continue its program of increasing computer access throughout the State, as requested by Net Literacy Honorary Board member Lt. Governor Skillman in 2009. Working with the Indiana Association of United Ways, Net Literacy has distributed 500 computers to 17 United Ways serving 85 agencies to date in 2010 – and the Techpoint Foundation’s additional funding, together with funding from Intel, will enable the program to expand into more than a dozen new counties during the 2010-2011 school year.

Please contact danielkent@netliteracy.org for additional information.

Net Literacy is grateful for the Clowes Fund’s and the Hoover Family Foundation’s continuing support for Net Literacy’s digital literacy and digital inclusion projects.

After funding Net Literacy’s 2009 summer program, in 2010, the Hoover Family Foundation provided Net Literacy an annual grant of $10,000.

The Clowes Fund has supported Net Literacy since 2008, and this year, the Clowes Fund granted Net Literacy $17,500 for the years 2010 and 2011.

This funding enables student volunteers to repurpose thousands of computers each year which are donated to schools and nonprofits. Since 2003, Net Literacy has increased computer access to over 150,000 individuals. During the last three years, Net Literacy has donated over 11,000 computers. Research shows that as an independent variable, students with a computer at home are 6-8% more likely to graduate from high school. We couldn’t make a difference and be providing the computers we refurbish and our digital literacy services at no cost without the support and advocacy of our partners.

Thank you – Clowes Fund and the Hoover Family Foundation!

Respectfully,

Daniel Kent

Net Literacy presented its new Digital Literacy “best practices” website at South Africa’s iWeek Conference. The “best practices” website that focuses on digital inclusion and digital literacy was acclaimed by Internet Service Provider associations from India to South Africa; and they asked to become Digital Literacy “best practices” partners. Meanwhile in America, the Wireless Communications Association International joined a growing number of Digital Literacy partners ranging from Intel to the US Internet Industry Association to Internet Industry Association, in Australia.

Also, Net Literacy met with the International Internet Industry Alliance and the Alliance decided to include digital inclusion and digital literacy as one of their five top priorities for the sharing of information so that digital literacy and digital inclusion can be facilitated. Digital Literacy’s website shares international digital inclusion and digital literacy “best practices” and helps the Alliance achieve their goals. Net Literacy was honored by being invited to join the Alliance. The Alliance is comprised of ISP Association that represent over 200,000 Internet-related organizations in five continents.

For more information, contact danielkent@netliteracy.org

David Johnson (right) teachers new volunteers

Net Literacy’s seven summer programs impacted over 300 students. Student volunteers learned how to build websites; repurposed almost 1000 computers that were sent to schools and dozens of nonprofits; storyboarded, scripted, shot, and edited twenty financial literacy videos, taught Safe Connects Internet safety skills, learned group dynamics and team building skills; constructed business proposals using PowerPoint that included value propositions, P&L charts, and streaming video.

Thanks to our generous donors, that included Lilly Endowment, the Luminia Foundation for Education, Lilly & Company, Bright House Networks, the Techpoint Foundation, the Clowes Fund, Net Literacy student volunteers learned job skills, life skills, and made a difference to their communities.

With nearly 150 attendees and a “dream team” of speakers from the FCC, nonprofits, broadband providers, and other government organizations, the Broadband Adoption Summit was a success and thoughtfully discussed barriers to and catalysts that will enhance broadband adoption. Above, Net Literacy’s Daniel Kent presents a Net Literacy Hero Award to Blare Levin, the FCC’s Executive Director responsible for crafting the National Broadband Plan for Congress. Highlights of the summit, co-sponsored by Net Literacy, the US Internet Industry Association, and Broadband for America, can be viewed by clicking on this link.

The Summit was webcasted by the US Telecom Association and was videotaped by Broadband For America. The five media articles that were written will help increase awareness to digital inclusion and the importance of increasing broadband adoption. Net Literacy and the USIIA will jointly co-author a series of white papers further detailing the issues discussed during this summit.

Speakers included the key architects of the National Broadband Plan, including Blair Levin (FCC Executive Director), Brian David (FCC Director of Broadband Adoption), John Horrigan (FCC Director of Consumer Research), and Karen Archer Perry (Advisor, Adoption and Use National Broadband Plan Team). Trade associations addressing the Summit included USIIA CEO David McClure, US Telecom CEO Walter McCormick, and Fiber to the Home Council CEO Joe Savage. Other speakers represented national companies, including Bright House Networks, Dell, Intel, and Cisco Systems, among others.

The Summit’s agenda is at http://www.netliteracyalliance.org/blog

While thousands of students have donated over 200,000 hours in service to their communities and increased computer access to over 150,000 individuals, we just could not be doing this without the financial support of more than a dozen corporate and foundation funders.

Since 2007, Intel, whose leadership serves on Net Literacy’s Board of Directors and financial support has helped us scale our programs. Intel has enabled our student volunteers to increase computer access to 10,000s of individuals, increase Internet safety awareness through the production of three Department of Education approved Internet safety videos, and increase financial literacy to middle school, high school, and college students through the IDOE approved Financial Connects portal.

The Lumina Foundation For Education repeated funding of our Computer Connects programs has provided computers to schools impacting thousands of students.

Lilly Endowment has funded Net Literacy programs since 2005, and has supported our Safe Connects, Financial Connects, and Computer Connects programs.

2010 marks the first year that the Eli Lilly Company has supported our Computer Connects program that teaches homeless students and students on Off Campus Instruction life skills and job skills.

Without your support and advocacy, we would be unable to increase digital inclusion. So in behalf of the thousands of Net Literacy student volunteers, thank you!

Respectfully,

Daniel Kent
Student President