Sunnyvale, CA – To help students with the shift to distance learning because of the coronavirus pandemic, Google has donated $100,000 to the Sunnyvale Education Foundation (SEF). The money will be used for wifi hotspots, devices and learning materials for students and teachers in the Sunnyvale School District (SSD).
“SEF is proud to have Google as one of our corporate supporters, and especially grateful for their assistance and support during this time of crisis,” said SEF President Melinda Hamilton. “Google has supported SEF from the very beginning, and we’re proud to work with them to bring a high-quality, enriched education to Sunnyvale students, even during a pandemic.”
In March, the district shifted to distance learning under the county’s shelter-in-place order and started making devices available for students who didn’t have access to a computer at home, regardless of economic status. It soon became clear that some students didn’t have internet access, or that their wifi access was overburdened with parents and siblings all sharing the same bandwidth. Teachers having the same issue had trouble preparing lessons for their students.
“Sunnyvale School District has a 1:1 technology policy, but this pandemic is stretching our resources and our staff,” said SSD Superintendent Dr. Benjamin Picard. “For some students, access to devices and wifi are a crucial gap to continuing their education. Google has stepped up and helped us fill that gap.”
Sunnyvale Mayor Larry Klein agreed. “Thanks to Google for its generous donation to the Sunnyvale Education Foundation, which enables distance learning for local families. Sunnyvale appreciates Google’s commitment to help bridge the digital divide in our community.”
In addition to the devices and hotspots, some funds will go toward classroom supplies to facilitate distance learning, such as small whiteboards, paper, markers and other materials for students and teachers who do not have those items at home.
