Greenup County Schools in Kentucky Launch Unique Program to Help Students, Local Families

Computer recipient Mary Alfrey learns more about her new machine from Greenup County Schools Chief Information Officer Tony Carr. Greenup County High School students are refurbishing older computers from the school system, which will be donated to deserving families.

Greenup County students are getting a unique chance to give back to their community while learning valuable IT job skills. On Tuesday, January 25, ConnectKentucky’s Computers 4 Kids program announced that 150 refurbished computers will be donated to Greenup County families as part of a computer refurbishing program underway at Greenup County High School.

The Greenup County program is unique. The Greenup County Public School system will take older computers from throughout the school system and upgrade them through a computer refurbishment program for teens at Greenup County High School.

High school students will be trained on how to refurbish the computers, which otherwise would have been headed to a local landfill. The students, who are seeking A+ certification in information technology, will reformat the hard drives, install new memory, and make other upgrades to the machines.

The computers will then be distributed to disadvantaged families as identified through the Family Resource and Youth Service Centers in Greenup County. Along with the computers, recipients will receive a printer donated by Lexmark International.

Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we profile students from the classes and talk with families receiving their “new” computers.

Related Links:

In the News: Rebuilding Computers for Others Without One (WSAZ-TV, 01/25/11)
Press Release: ConnectKentucky’s Computers 4 Kids Program Facilitates Computer Refurbishment, Donation in Greenup County

Grassroots Efforts Bring High-Speed Internet to Rural Kentucky—One Community’s Story

In Greenup County, Kentucky, Melinda Spears and her two teenage daughters have never had an opportunity to connect to affordable high-speed Internet.

“I have a daughter in high school and, well have you tried to do anything on the computer via dialup lately?” Spears wrote to ConnectKentucky. “It's excruciatingly slow if it even works at all. Needless to say, she is unable to do any of her computer based schoolwork at home. In this day of technology, citizens are literally handicapped without the use of the Internet for everything from entertainment to information to education to contacting your representatives.”

However, thanks to grassroots efforts from public officials, private industry, local residents, and ConnectKentucky, Spears, her daughters, and her neighborhood are now benefiting from affordable high-speed Internet.

In a time where connectivity continues to be an issue in many rural areas in all states, Spears’ story is all too common. Her neighborhood is small — just 17 or so families. It’s on the border of two counties — Greenup and Boyd. Spears called her neighborhood, which runs along Brookefield Farm Road, the “Bermuda Triangle of Greenup County.”

Based on a suggestion from State Rep. Tanya Pullin (D-District 98), Spears contacted ConnectKentucky, who suggested that Spears gather a group of neighbors interested in broadband service. She did just that and, in May, Foundation Telecommunications, Inc. (FTI) started providing Spears and her neighbors with high-speed service.

Rep. Pullin was pleased.

“I have been working to expand broadband service to our area for years. Because we are largely a rural area, several different ways to deliver high-speed Internet are needed to meet the needs of the residents here. Since FTI’s technology seems to work well, it may help to provide high-speed Internet to other rural parts of our county, too,” Rep. Pullin said. “I applaud Mrs. Spears and her neighbors for taking an active role in making this solution work. I also commend ConnectKentucky for their creativity in finding this high-speed Internet solution.”

For Spears and her neighbors, the new broadband service is working beautifully and they couldn’t be more excited.

“We were at the end of our rope. Our daughter had a new computer, but she was not using it. We are really happy with the new broadband service and others I have talked with are also pleased,” Spears said. “FTI was very persistent in dealing with the weather challenges in setting up the system. It is a whole different world being able to use broadband.”

Kentucky Governor, Department for Local Government and ConnectKentucky Announce Grant to Provide Broadband Access to Eastern Kentucky Counties

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear presents a check to Chip Spann, René True and Mark Messer of ConnectKentucky during the “Coal to Broadband” launch on Tuesday.

Governor Steve Beshear joined with Department for Local Government Commissioner Tony Wilder and ConnectKentucky Executive Director René True today to announce the launch of the “Coal to Broadband: Making the Transition, Making the Connection,” program, which will help bring broadband service to Breathitt, Estill, Lee and Powell counties.

ConnectKentucky will serve as technical adviser on the project, working with the newly formed nonprofit, the Breathitt, Estill, Lee, Powell Regional Technology Authority (RTA).

All four of the grant’s impacted counties are in the bottom 25 counties in Kentucky for broadband availability. Breathitt and Lee counties are the two lowest served counties in the state, both with below 50 percent availability of broadband to the home. In addition, nearly 7,000 homes in Breathitt, Estill, Lee and Powell counties do not have high-speed Internet available at home.

“Coal to Broadband” will help ensure that these counties move toward more accessible and widespread broadband connections. The program will use multi-county coal severance dollars along with Appalachian Regional Commission funds for an economic development project to bring broadband access to the four county Eastern Kentucky region.

To learn more, download the program’s frequently asked questions here or view the program’s press release here.

Connected Nation Submits No Bid Response for Kentucky Broadband Mapping RFP

Today, Connected Nation, a national nonprofit and parent company of ConnectKentucky, submitted a no bid response to the Kentucky Commonwealth Office of Technology’s request for proposal (RFP) for broadband mapping due to the impracticable timeline set forward in the RFP.

Kentucky’s RFP for broadband mapping calls for a submission of a substantially complete dataset by Nov. 1, 2009, a full three months earlier than the timeline laid out in the federal guidelines in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program. With the subsequent RFP approval process, this timeline leaves less than 60 days to collect data and produce a map, in order to take advantage of currently avaliable broadband mapping stimulus funds.

Consequently, Connected Nation’s wealth of experience in creating broadband maps shows that this timeline is simply unrealistic.

“Connected Nation through ConnectKentucky remains committed to working with partners and communities across Kentucky to expand technology availability to the people and places that need it most,” said Brian R. Mefford, Connected Nation’s chairman and CEO. “We wish the Commonwealth well and hope for its success in meeting their goals as solicited in the broadband mapping RFP.”

ConnectKentucky has a long-standing history of broadband mapping and working with state agencies, communities, citizens and broadband providers across Kentucky to expand broadband availability. Numerous letters of support for ConnectKentucky’s programs can be viewed here.

ConnectKentucky will continue to maintain and foster these relationships, all the while working closely with partners to increase technology availability across the state.

ConnectKentucky’s Computer 4 Kids helps provide computers for community lab

The Oasis Life Center in the Parkland neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky is providing community residents with access to a computer lab outfitted with 10 computers and printers, thanks in part to a donation through ConnectKentucky’s Computers 4 Kids program.

The work stations will help local residents to achieve success in this technologically advancing world, said Heather Gate, the program manager for ConnectKentucky’s Computers 4 Kids.

“If you go to Wal-Mart to apply for a job opening, they're going to point you to a computer to apply,” Gate told the Louisville Courier-Journal in an August 26 article. “It's essential to have basic skills. And (the program awards are) also so that kids can have meaningful homework assistance after school and be given an equal education.”

To read the full article, click here.

Horse's Mouth

Connected Nation is blessed to work with many great people across the country. Regularly we receive letters from city and county leaders offering thanks for our work to help their communities realize the promises of technology. Recently, several of these local leaders filed letters of support at the FCC and I wanted to share some excerpts to provide witness, as we say in Kentucky, "straight from the horse's mouth"....Brian

From Henry Bertram, County Judge ExecutivePendleton County, Kentucky

Dear Chairman Martin:
Without the ConnectKentucky maps and the work of ConnectKentucky staff in the field to keep the maps current and accurate, Pendleton County would never had had the tools to develop our network, and we would very likely still have more than half of our residents without broadband…. I understand the FCC is considering doing this type of broadband mapping. As you contemplate this process, I urge you to leave broadband mapping in the hands of publicprivate partnerships such as ConnectKentucky. Many government entities have tried, and failed, to produce accurate and comprehensive broadband availability maps. Fortunately, there are groups out there who can bring together local leaders and broadband providers of all sizes and technology types to accurately map broadband in a way that is useful for all of us. Pendleton County is proof that this process works. More from Judge Executive Bertram


From Jiten Shah, Executive DirectorGreen River Area Development District

Dear Chairman Martin:
I write to urge you to consider a cooperative, public-private approach to mapping national broadband availability….As you and your colleagues at the FCC work to develop national broadband policies, I encourage you to find creative ways that you could use theConnectKentucky model. Thank you for your work to ensure all Americans have access to broadband. I believe that ConnectGRADD proves that this goal is possible, if we work together to make it happen. More from Jiten Shah


From Dennis Atha, MayorCity of Monterey, Kentucky

Dear Chairman Martin:
I saw firsthand how the process works – ConnectKentucky works with providers – big and small – to gather information on where broadband service exists, and then they work with local communities, businesses, and citizens to make sure the map is correct. And then ConnectKentucky produces these maps and all kinds of related tools on its website for all to use. To say that these maps are not transparent or not useful is an injustice - and is utterly ridiculous. This process for cooperative mapping is a model that should not only be heralded, but should be used again and again for the rest of America. More from Mayor Atha


From Hal Goode, Executive Director Springfield-Washington Economic Development Authority

Dear Chairman Martin:
As an economic development professional of a Kentucky county that has recently implemented a public broadband project, I believe it is my duty to give you a first-hand account of the support and assistance that ConnectKentucky has brought to our municipality and the rural citizens of our county. I understand there are allegations that ConnectKentucky does not support municipal broadband projects; however, this is simply untrue.... As you work to determine the best course for FCC action in mapping broadband availability, I encourage you to develop policies that will encourage public-private partnerships like ConnectKentucky to continue to thrive. These grassroots-led programs not only do an excellent job of mapping broadband availability, but they also provide a tremendous resource to local governments as we work to find information technology solutions for
our citizens. More from Hal Goode


From Brent Graden, Director of Economic DevelopmentCity of Prestonsburg, Kentucky

To Whom It May Concern:
It is my opinion that ConnectKentucky and other programs like it are an invaluable tool to help communities help themselves. Their invaluable leadership and knowledge base helps to create a public-private partnership that stimulates the local economy, promotes education, increases tourism and development, and offers increased access to broadband in underdeveloped or rural areas… As the Director of Economic Development, it my job to find new and affordable ways to grow the local economy while not breaking the bank. More from Brent Graden

No Child Left Offline and Duke Energy Donate Technology to Thomas Edison Elementary School

Today, Thomas Edison Elementary School in Covington, Kentucky became the latest recipient of a No Child Left Offline donation. Tomas Edison Elementary School’s Family Resource Center received laptops, printers and audio-visual equipment to better support school students and families. The donation was part of ConnectKentucky’s No Child Left Offline® (NCLO) program, an innovative initiative designed to help close the digital divide among Kentucky’s youth, and a donation by Duke Energy Corporation, a leading energy company focused on electric power and gas distribution operations, and other energy services in the Americas.

Since the creation of No Child Left Offline, more than 2,000 children, families and schools have benefited from the programs distributions.

To learn more about the recent No Child Left Offline Distribution, read more.