SPRINT’S 1MILLION PROJECT TO CONNECT 600 STUDENTS IN THE 2017-2018 SCHOOL YEAR
Students Will Receive a Free Device and Free Wireless Service in First Year of the Program
PROVIDENCE, RI – October 4, 2017 – Sprint (NYSE: S) and the Providence Public School District announced today that 600 high school students will receive the equipment and connectivity they need to complete their schoolwork from home as part of the 1Million Project. In January, the Providence Public School District was one of 11 districts across the country to participate in the pilot launch of Sprint’s 1Million Project. The school district received 250 devices at that time.
The 2017-2018 school year marks the first year of the initiative with more 180,000 students in 1,300 schools across 30 states. Every year over the next five years, hundreds of thousands of high schoolers who lack internet access at home will join and benefit from the 1Million Project. The ambitious goal is to connect one million students in that time to help level the playing field and help eliminate the “Homework Gap.”
“Learning does not start and stop when school opens and closes,” said Mayor Jorge Elorza. “Sprint’s 1Million Project is a game-changer for our students, who will use these devices to continue learning outside of the classroom.”
“We are making a difference for kids who need the internet in order to keep up with work assigned at home but yet lack access to technology,” said Gabriel Torres, Sprint President, New England Region. ”Sprint’s 1Million Project will give so many kids right here in Providence more advantages for academic success than they had before.”
Seventy percent of America’s high school teachers assign homework requiring online connectivity, yet more than five million families with school-aged students do not have internet connectivity at home.1 These students are faced with an enormous challenge as they are unable to complete their homework from home, search for jobs, apply to college and financial aid, or easily access the valuable information they need to succeed in school and life.
Superintendent of Providence Public Schools Christopher N. Maher said, “I am very impressed by and grateful to Sprint for understanding that technology access is not just an education issue but also an equity issue. Through the 1Million project, our children will have the same access to knowledge as students in more affluent communities, where home internet connections are taken for granted.”
The 1Million Project will distribute devices and provide service to eligible students at the following Providence public high schools:
• 360 High School
• Central High School
• Classical High School
• Mount Pleasant High School
• Hope High School
• Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School
• E-Cubed Academy
• Evolutions High School
• Providence Career & Technical Academy
• The William B. Cooley, Sr. High School and The Providence Academy of International Studies (High School) at The Juanita Sanchez Complex
Each student participating in the 1Million Project will receive either a free smartphone, tablet, or hotspot device and 3GB of high-speed LTE data per month for up to four years while they are in high school. Unlimited data is available at 2G speeds if usage exceeds 3GB in a month. Those who receive a smartphone can use it as a hotspot.
To address the homework gap on such a large scale, Sprint piloted the program with 3,750 high school students in 10 markets in January 2017 through the end of the last school year. Lessons learned at the local level helped to prepare for the national rollout this fall. In a survey of students who participated in the pilot, the vast majority (86%) said the 1Million Project improved their attitude toward learning and school, and helped them do their homework in a comfortable, convenient and safe place. Looking forward, 82% of students said the program positively impacted the likelihood that they will persist and graduate from high school. And, 80% said it improves the likelihood that they will continue on to college.
Schools or districts who want to apply for the second year of the 1Million Project, which begins with the 2018-19 school year, can visit www.sprint.com/1millionproject to learn more. Applicants will receive a response by spring 2018.
Anyone looking to support the program can visit www.sprint.com/give1mp to make a donation via credit card.2 Sprint stores continue to accept monetary and device donations. Used mobile devices can also be donated online.3 Devices will be recycled or resold with net proceeds benefiting the 1Million Project. Visit www.sprint.com/1millionproject for more information, and follow and support the program on social media by using the hashtag #1MillionProject.
About Sprint:
Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company that creates more and better ways to connect its customers to the things they care about most. Sprint served 59.7 million connections as of March 31, 2017 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America for the past five years. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.