Cox and Boys and Girls Club Unveil a New Innovation Lab

Press release from Cox Communications
Local Cox employees, along with staff and Club Kids from the Boys and Girls Club, unveiled a new Innovation Lab at the Woodland Park location this week. The lab features state-of-the-art equipment, including an educational projector and 92-inch drop screen, virtual reality, AV system, new desktop and laptop computers, and network upgrades. This new equipment will allow the kids to work independently but also share their screen with their teachers if they have questions about an assignment.
Cox leaders and community advocates joined Boys and Girls Club summer campers at a dedication ceremony recently. Though the ceremony was downsized to ensure safety, all enjoyed a pizza party and tour of the new lab. It is one of more than 100 labs Cox has funded nationally in Boys and Girls Clubs and the second in a Gainesville Club. In 2019, Cox installed an Innovation Lab at the NW Boys and Girls club.
“Cox has been consistently dedicated to initiating programs to close the Digital Divide for more than two decades,” Market Vice President Aimee Pfannenstiel said. “Our metrics show these programs are impactful, and we plan to expand upon what’s working the best.”
Pfannenstiel said Cox plans to install or upgrade similar learning labs in other locations as part of its ongoing initiatives to ensure families have access to the technological resources they need to succeed.
Cox is working to ensure eligible households can receive discounted service through the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program. The FCC program, which is open to eligible Americans for only a limited time, is available to provide temporary financial assistance for internet service. Eligible families may qualify to receive up to $50 off their monthly bill based on their current internet service and equipment rental, or up to $75 if they live in a tribal area, for as long as government funds remain available.
Through the EBB program and Cox’s partnership with PCs for People, households are also eligible to receive a one-time discount of up to $100 towards a laptop or desktop computer.
Cox also offers the highest speeds at the lowest cost per megabyte in Gainesville. Families that enroll in the Connect2Compete program pay just $9.95/month for high speed internet, which includes free Wi-Fi router, installation, and service. Those enrolled in the program overwhelmingly acknowledge its benefits.
In 2018, Cox released a survey of morethan 1,700 Connect2Compete participants that showed parents agree Connect2Compete:
- Makes it easier to communicate with teachers and the school (95 percent)
- Sets children up for success (94 percent)
- Makes children more interested in schoolwork (88 percent)
- Makes life easier with the convenience of having internet access at home (97 percent)
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