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Activation Day: 300 students receive new devices as part of Sprint 1Million Project

ActivationDay

Three-hundred students at Harlingen CISD now have new technology and Internet access at their fingertips.

As part of the Sprint 1Million Project, 110 tablets and 190 smartphones were distributed to select ninth-grade students from Dr. Abraham P. Cano Freshman Academy, Harlingen School of Health Professions, and Early College High School during an “Activation Day” event held Thursday, Sept. 21.

“HCISD’s participation in the Sprint 1Million Project means that our ninth-graders will have a lot more advantages that they may not have had without a device,” said Cano Freshman Academy principal Vivian Bauer. “These students are so excited about getting the devices so that they can be self-learning. We do use a lot of technology in the classroom, so for our students to have these resources is a huge benefit.”

The event kicked-off HCISD’s participation in the Sprint Foundation initiative, which aims to close the homework gap and provide students who do not have internet at home the capability to continue their learning outside the school setting.

“It feels amazing to now have another device to do homework and not have to stay up so late because I’m waiting for my siblings to finish using the device we share,” said Victoria Abundiz, a ninth-grade student at HSHP.

The Sprint 1Million Project will provide 300 devices a year for five years ultimately connecting 1,500 ninth-grade students with devices and service. Students will be able to reap the benefits of the program for up to four years in high school while enrolled at HCISD.

Students were chosen to participate in the program based on a survey sent to eighth-grade students at the end of the 2016-2017 school year. The criteria included: no internet access at home, slow Internet speed, or one device for multiple siblings at home.

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