Pictured are (from left) Sparklight General Manager Deron Lindsay, Batesville Elementary School Principal Amy Sutton, Sparklight Technician Justin Benton and Sparklight Technical Operations Manager Clay McKee.

Students at Batesville Elementary School will be equipped with new Chromebooks this school year as the result of a Sparklight initiative designed to improve student access to technology in Title I schools.

Sparklight Senior Vice President of Technology Services Ken Johnson said donating Chromebooks to Title 1 schools will help bridge the digital divide in schools that lack funding – especially for students lacking the technology needed to perform school from home activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While many school systems are taking big steps and working to give every student and every teacher access to the technology and tools they need to learn, not all schools have the funding to support this effort,”

Johnson said. “We understand how critical access to technology is right now – especially during the pandemic when many schools are struggling to provide laptops to students in need during the transition to online school.”

Batesville Elementary School Principal Amy Sutton said the Chromebook donation will level the playing field for students who are currently without technology at home.

“In the midst of a global pandemic, online instruction and technology use has become an essential tool in education,” Sutton said. “Sparklight’s Chromebook donation will ensure that equitable learning opportunities are available for our community and school families.”

Sparklight’s Batesville General Manager Deron Lindsay said that Sparklight is committed to strengthening and improving the Batesville community, not only through its products and services, but through support of the local community.

“Our Sparklight associates are passionate about giving back to the community where they live and work,” Lindsay said. “We know that improving access to technology in our schools – especially during these unprecedented times – will improve education and benefit our community for the long term.”

Over the past seven years, Sparklight has donated more than 1,500 Chromebooks to Title 1 schools in the markets they serve.

Sparklight® is a leading broadband communications provider and part of the Cable One family of brands, which serves more than 900,000 residential and business customers in 21 states.