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BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR STAFF
ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com
The Elizabethton and Carter County Boys and Girls Club was one of five Boys and Girls Clubs in Tennessee to receive a $6,000 Spectrum Digital Education Grant for their Digital Connect Program.

The grant is part of Spectrum’s five-year, $7M commitment to digital education in communities across the country.

“We applaud the Boys and Girls Clubs in Tennessee for their broadband education initiatives and for helping us support efforts that promote digital literacy in Tennessee,” said Rahman Khan, Vice President of Community Impact for Charter Communications, Inc., which operates the Spectrum brand of broadband connectivity products.

“Through this partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Tennessee, the Spectrum Digital Education Program is able to bring essential resources to those in need, and we look forward to working with them on this transformation project.”

Local state representatives including state Rep. John Holsclaw and Sen. Rusty Crowe were on hand for the presentation as well as Mayor Patty Woodby, Commissioner Dr. Robert Acuff, and City Council member Mayor Pro Tem Bill Carter along with Spectrum representatives who gave the check.

The Elizabethton-Carter County Boys and Girls Club will use the funds on a laptop recharging station, 2 I-pads and a Dell computer.

“I sincerely thank Spectrum for their investment in our Digital Connect Program,” said T. Ryan Hughes, executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs in Tennessee. “The grant allows us to purchase new technology and equipment and that will engage area youth through digital arts and STEM activities, financial literacy classes, and allow them to explore college and careers. The program also makes the technology available to family and community members that need access to apply for jobs, or acquire job skills and who may not have access to a computer outside one of our clubs.”

The donation was one of two presented in the Tri-Cities as the Boys and Girls Club of Bluff City also received a $6,000 check. Others to receive the funds were the Boys and Girls Clubs of Smoky Mountains in Seymour, Ocoee Region in Cleveland, and Rutherford County in Shelbyville.

“This is really neat,” said Crowe. “This is the future and I know you guys have to have computers to do your homework on. You guys are so well advanced in technology and you are our future.

“We appreciate Spectrum so much for this donation.”