Final four named for national Kids Tech Summit competition hosted by Connected Nation

Bowling Green, Kentucky – Connected Nation (CN) announced the four finalists in its national Kids Tech Summit. This friendly competition, which is sponsored by AT&T, provides an opportunity for students to use their digital skills to develop 100% student-led projects that directly benefit their communities and help narrow the Digital Divide.

“We challenged those taking part to look at ways to enhance their out-of-the-classroom digital learning while also focusing on community service,” said Heather Gate, Vice President, Digital Inclusion, CN. “The hope is that these projects will help students grow their digital skills in new ways, while also providing a strong foundation for creating positive and proactive change within their own communities.”

The final four organizations are Pi515, which is located in Des Moines, Iowa, and teaches technology skills to young students; Kahauiki Village, which is located in Hawaii and provides housing for homeless families; C5 Los Angeles (C5LA), which is located in California and provides access to education for under-resourced communities; and Computers 4 People, Inc., which is located in New  York City and provides free computers to people in need.

Special recognition also goes to the Carolina Youth Coalition and Casa of Cook County for their strong applications for the summit.

“We are excited to hear that our Computers 4 People 4 Teens project has been selected as a finalist by AT&T and Connected Nation’s Kids Tech Summit,” said Dylan Zajac, Founder, Computers 4 People. “The students leading this project are dedicated volunteers, and I’m thrilled to support them throughout the process. We look forward to continuing our partnership with AT&T and Connected Nation to help those in under-resourced communities and bridge the Digital Divide.”

The four finalists will compete for cash prizes ranging from $7,500 to $2,000. They will present their projects to a panel of technology experts via a virtual event on Friday, April 22.

The Kids Tech Summit is a continuation of AT&T’s $10 million commitment to helping the nation’s most at-risk children.

Through this commitment, AT&T and CN delivered hotspots to 150 schools and nonprofits across the country in 2021, which provided connectivity for more than 40,000 vulnerable students.

Connected Nation celebrated 20 years of service in 2021. The national nonprofit’s mission is to improve lives by providing innovative solutions that expand access to and increase the adoption and use of broadband (high-speed internet) and its related technologies for all people. Everyone belongs in a Connected Nation.

Featured image: Kids Tech Summit.