JEFF: SCHOOL OFFICIALS HAVE COME
UP WITH A CREATIVE WAY TO HELP
KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE THE INTERNET
OR YOU
PAT: THE MOBILE HOTSPOTS THAT
ARE ALREADY HELPING STUDENTS.
IT'S GOING TO BE WAY EASIER.
REPORTER: HELP HAS COME FOR
SISTER BROTHER BRIANNA AND
JAYLEN MONTES WHO HAVE BEEN
STRUGGLING WITH SPOTTY WI-FI
SINCE SCHOOL STARTED.
THE BLACK VAN DOES PUMPING OUT A
5G WIRELESS SIGNAL TO HELP THEM
AND OTHER STUDENTS IN POPULATED
NEIGHBORHOODS CONNECT TO CLASS.
SANTA ANA UNIFIED IS HEARING
FROM A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT
CONNECTIVITY IS THE BIGGEST
TECHNICAL CHALLENGE.
IT'S ALSO A COMMUNITY WITH HIGH
COVID RATES.
NOT ONLY HELP STUDENTS
LEARN THAT PARENTS DON'T HAVE TO
GO OUT AS MUCH TO LOOK FOR
TECHNOLOGY AND STUDENTS DON'T
HAVE TO GO TO THE LOCAL
McDONALD'S OR STARBUCKS TO
CONNECT TO THE INTERNET SO THIS
WAY THEY CAN DO IT AT HOME
SAFELY.
PARKER WRITES AT THIS PILOT
PROGRAM IS IN FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS
THAT ARE WI-FI DEAD ZONES.
THESE BANDS ARE PARKED ON
STREETS.
SCHOOL BUSES WILL BE ROLLED OUT
TO HELP WITH CONNECTIVITY.
DRIVERS WHO NORMALLY WOULD
SHUTTLE STUDENTS TO THEIR
SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO BE CALLED
UPON TO HELP THEM CONNECT TO
THEIR CLASSROOMS.
EACH BAND WILL HELP 200
STUDENTS AND IS THE PROGRAM
CONTINUES TO GROW WE ARE ABLE TO
REACH APPROXIMATELY 10 TO
THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS.
REPORTER: BROWNELL LAUNCHES AS
FRUSTRATED NO MORE CREATIVE
SHE HADN'T TOLD ANYONE
LOGGING INTO HER CLASSROOM WAS A
PAIN IN THE WI-FI WOULD FREEZE
UP.
SHE SHARED THAT SHE WAS LOSING
CONFIDENCE IN HERSELF.
IT MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WASN'T
GOING TO BE LIKE THE PERSON I
WAS BEFORE BECAUSE OF THE
INTERNET AND I COULDN'T CONNECT
