A laptop computer in the home can open many doors for Clinton County families. 68 more households now have a laptop in the home.
With a conveniently large screen, more families are now able to send and receive emails, enjoy video calls, collaborate online, communicate with family, friends, and employers, participate in virtual classrooms, conduct research, enjoy online entertainment and social media, prepare presentations, work remotely or freelance, manage personal organization and security, and more. Even access to the free, local online newspaper ‘Clinton County Daily News’—featuring community calendars, weather updates, local sports, news, and information—will now be at their fingertips in a full-sized format.
On Thursday evening, AT&T Indiana President Bill Soards visited the Frankfort Learning Network to present 68 newly refurbished laptops to Clinton County households and congratulate adult students for successfully completing English learning classes and a laptop skills course. These adult learners qualified to receive a refurbished laptop after completing the required coursework and instruction.
Soards noted that AT&T is now connecting “hundreds of homes” in Frankfort, Michigantown, and rural Clinton County with fiber service as part of a broader effort to bridge the digital divide. “Closing the Digital Divide requires all of us—local leaders, educators, businesses, and community members—working together,” Clinton County Commissioner Jordan Brewer said in a statement. Brewer emphasized, “Since 2020, the Learning Network of Clinton County has launched innovative programming to meet the needs of adult learners who live and work in Clinton County. Thanks to AT&T’s generous laptop donation and support for digital literacy, the Learning Network will be able to help more residents access the technology and opportunities they need to succeed.”
The laptops were provided through an AT&T initiative aimed at addressing digital literacy gaps in the community. Personalized support helped adult learners develop essential digital skills, which they can now use on their new laptops. AT&T also presented a $23,000 grant to support the Clinton County Learning Network’s ‘Technology Today’ program.
Despite ongoing progress, millions of Americans—including many in Indiana—still lack reliable access to the internet or connected devices and cannot fully participate in the online world, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. This persistent challenge is known as the “digital divide.”
Publisher’s Note: Kaspar Media, in partnership with AT&T, is also proud to participate in the AT&T ‘First Net’ Network. This initiative provides all Kaspar Media wireless devices with optimized access to the AT&T wireless network, ensuring area viewers, listeners, and readers are served during emergencies and critical news events. This also includes distribution of information relayed by area first responders across all Kaspar Media platforms, including WILO 96.9 FM, Boone 102.7 FM, HoosierlandTV.com, and the Clinton, Carroll, and Boone County Daily News. Several of the 68 recipients are pictured below with AT&T Indiana President Bill Soards and instuctor.
