Donation Helps Bridge The Digital Divide For Children

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- Some area youth got a boost on Tuesday to help them learn technology. AT&T presented a $30,000 donation to the Boy & Girls Club of Central Minnesota to expand its access to digital literacy programming and bridge the digital divide for local kids. The money will help hundreds of children learn how to use technology safely, explore creativity, and learn that tech can be used for a career and not just for fun.

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AT&T's Northern Plains States President Cheryl Riley says the grant will be used for more than just equipment:

"There's other components in terms of training because you can have all the equipment that you want, but if you don't know how to use it, so we also support, part of the funding goes to support help to training, training staff on how to train the kids, so there's a lot of components built into that grant."

Riley says the training has a trickle-down effect, too, because once kids acquire the skills, they will be able to teach friends and the next group of youth to join the Boys and Girls Club. AT&T also donated 200 backpacks filled with school supplies as part of a national backpack drive.

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