Helping Nashville Students Succeed!
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Good Afternoon All Wonderful GoFundMe Visitors,
I am looking to launch a far-reaching non-profit initiative within the Nashville, TN community called iNASH (Improving Network Access for Students at Home) that provides technology and Internet access for economically disadvantaged (ED) middle school students. Our main goal for 2017 is to provide a technology device (either a tablet or refurbished computer) and a voucher for a year’s worth of Internet access ($120 value under the “Free and Reduced Lunch” Internet access program) starting August of 2017 for 1000 Nashville area middle school students who would not otherwise have this kind of access. I have worked on digital literacy skills for this population of students over the past six years, so being able to provide these students in Nashville every opportunity to succeed is very personal to me and my work experience.
Even though this sounds like a very ambitious goal, providing digital access for as many of these students as possible is crucial several reasons.
1. 54% of Nashville students qualify as “Economically Disadvantaged.” Out of 85,000 total students, almost 46,000 students fall under this category. This is well above the state average in Tennessee and surrounding counties.
2. Therefore, thousands of students within the Nashville area are without the tools necessary to succeed on homework assignments and supplemental learning opportunities. Lack of digital access affects everything from grades, achievement on college entrance exams such as the ACT or SAT, and - ultimately - access to college and career opportunities.
3. ED students are often unable to take advantage of “connected learning” opportunities with peer students and other online resources, leaving them somewhat isolated from their learning communities.
4. Without digital access, these same ED students have limited opportunities to develop digital literacy and job skills crucial to high academic achievement and career advancement later in life.
5. Additionally, ED students are also not able to take advantage of fully-online courses such as Summer courses (either through a “get ahead” or "content recovery” program), AP courses, college dual-credit courses, or other opportunities provided by local school programs.
6. Surrounding school districts are able to make use of 1-to-1 or “Bring Your Own Device” programs (ensuring every student has access to a digital device - either school or family-provided) to provide technology for their students. However, since Nashville serves a much larger and more diverse population of students, these types of services are almost impossible to provide to such a large district of students. Given Nashville’s explosion as a tech hub during the past few years, this is the perfect time for the local community to extend some of the wonderful opportunities being created within the city to some local students who need it the most.
In addition to our goal for 2017, iNASH is also pursuing some multi-year goals as well. iNASH would love to be able to provide technology for students every year, as well as expand into the following areas:
1. iNASH is planning to establish ourselves as a non-profit 501(c) organization in order to provide digital access and digital literacy services in Nashville for many years to come.
2. iNASH is planning to provide digital literacy learning opportunities for ED students, either online or site-based. These learning opportunities include computer proficiency, Microsoft Office training, and STEM/Computer Science opportunities.
3. After iNASH develops a successful model for Nashville students, I am planning to provide advocacy and support for other large cities as well to launch similar initiatives as the “digital divide” is not a problem exclusive to Nashville.
4. Finally, iNASH would like to provide a college scholarship opportunity for Nashville students as well.
Thank you taking the time to read this posting and your support of our local students!
Note: This initiative is not formally affiliated with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (Davidson County) or any of its local schools or partners. This is a grassroots, community-based initiative outside of MNPS.
I am looking to launch a far-reaching non-profit initiative within the Nashville, TN community called iNASH (Improving Network Access for Students at Home) that provides technology and Internet access for economically disadvantaged (ED) middle school students. Our main goal for 2017 is to provide a technology device (either a tablet or refurbished computer) and a voucher for a year’s worth of Internet access ($120 value under the “Free and Reduced Lunch” Internet access program) starting August of 2017 for 1000 Nashville area middle school students who would not otherwise have this kind of access. I have worked on digital literacy skills for this population of students over the past six years, so being able to provide these students in Nashville every opportunity to succeed is very personal to me and my work experience.
Even though this sounds like a very ambitious goal, providing digital access for as many of these students as possible is crucial several reasons.
1. 54% of Nashville students qualify as “Economically Disadvantaged.” Out of 85,000 total students, almost 46,000 students fall under this category. This is well above the state average in Tennessee and surrounding counties.
2. Therefore, thousands of students within the Nashville area are without the tools necessary to succeed on homework assignments and supplemental learning opportunities. Lack of digital access affects everything from grades, achievement on college entrance exams such as the ACT or SAT, and - ultimately - access to college and career opportunities.
3. ED students are often unable to take advantage of “connected learning” opportunities with peer students and other online resources, leaving them somewhat isolated from their learning communities.
4. Without digital access, these same ED students have limited opportunities to develop digital literacy and job skills crucial to high academic achievement and career advancement later in life.
5. Additionally, ED students are also not able to take advantage of fully-online courses such as Summer courses (either through a “get ahead” or "content recovery” program), AP courses, college dual-credit courses, or other opportunities provided by local school programs.
6. Surrounding school districts are able to make use of 1-to-1 or “Bring Your Own Device” programs (ensuring every student has access to a digital device - either school or family-provided) to provide technology for their students. However, since Nashville serves a much larger and more diverse population of students, these types of services are almost impossible to provide to such a large district of students. Given Nashville’s explosion as a tech hub during the past few years, this is the perfect time for the local community to extend some of the wonderful opportunities being created within the city to some local students who need it the most.
In addition to our goal for 2017, iNASH is also pursuing some multi-year goals as well. iNASH would love to be able to provide technology for students every year, as well as expand into the following areas:
1. iNASH is planning to establish ourselves as a non-profit 501(c) organization in order to provide digital access and digital literacy services in Nashville for many years to come.
2. iNASH is planning to provide digital literacy learning opportunities for ED students, either online or site-based. These learning opportunities include computer proficiency, Microsoft Office training, and STEM/Computer Science opportunities.
3. After iNASH develops a successful model for Nashville students, I am planning to provide advocacy and support for other large cities as well to launch similar initiatives as the “digital divide” is not a problem exclusive to Nashville.
4. Finally, iNASH would like to provide a college scholarship opportunity for Nashville students as well.
Thank you taking the time to read this posting and your support of our local students!
Note: This initiative is not formally affiliated with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (Davidson County) or any of its local schools or partners. This is a grassroots, community-based initiative outside of MNPS.
Organizer
Michael Terry
Organizer
Nashville, TN