Comcast recently unveiled a new computer and STEM lab at the Fairview Boys & Girls Club as a group of eager neighborhood children looked on.
First opened in 2017 in the basement of Berean Free Will Baptist Church, the Fairview Boys & Girls Club provides area kids with academic support, mentorship and a safe space to play, among other things.
The organization was home to several computers, where the kids could do homework, research and occasionally play games. Now, it has a new, state of the art space where kids can do so much more.
"This Fairview Boys & Girls Club Lift Zone enables Comcast to provide free high-speed internet access and digital skills training to ensure that every member of our community can succeed in an increasingly digital world," Comcast Director of Community Impact Amy Wright explained.
Rural areas of the United States, and Tennessee, more specifically, can have a harder time getting internet access. The University of Tennessee calls it the "digital divide," and further clarified that, "only 53.4 percent of residents in Tennessee adopted broadband in 2019."
"In Tennessee alone, Comcast has invested millions of dollars to support initiatives like the Lift Zones, which provide safe spaces for students to connect to the internet, complete their schoolwork and access educational resources," Wright said.
The Fairview Lift Zone is designed to support the rural and underserved community. It also helps students who, for a variety of reasons, including homelessness or housing insecurity, need somewhere to go during the day to engage in distance learning activities, officials explained.
Plans call for the facility to regularly offer computer training and Internet access for about 60 students, assisting with homework and learning. It now has about 60 machines in house.
Boys & Girls Club participants also received a special surprise.
Each child learned they were getting their own computer to take home.
Upon hearing the news during the unveiling, screams filled the air with children asking simultaneously, "Is this real; Can I do anything on it?"
Many said they were excited they didn't have to share a computer at home anymore.
"Now I don't have to wait for everyone else to do my homework," one participant said.
Seeing the excited, beaming faces made it all worthwhile for Wright, she said.
"We are creating a future where every child has the chance to succeed, no matter their background or circumstances," she said. "Let's continue to work together to make a positive impact and create lasting change in our community."