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Schools to help spread Internet countywide
Working with State Representative Craig Fitzhugh,
Superintendent of Lauderdale County Schools Phillip Jackson is
helping to provide Broadband wireless Internet access
county-wide, a development that will work hand-in-hand with the
school system’s acquisition of laptop computers for students in
the sixth through eighth grades.
“We have received a $250,000 grant in an effort to get
Broadband throughout the county,” said Jackson who credits
Fitzhugh with help gaining a grant from Economic and Community
Development at the state level. “The purpose of the grant is to
find some seed money to try to encourage vendors to come into
the county and offer access to the Internet. The initial phase
is going on right now.”
A 90-day study is currently being done by a Nashville-based
company to assess the current Internet access provided in
Lauderdale County.
“(They are finding out) where we have it and where we don’t
have it and how many homes in the county have Internet access,”
said Jackson. “Paul Van Hoesen will report back at the end of
September with recommendations and findings.”
The timing of the grant allows Lauderdale County to unite
with another ongoing statewide survey, entitled “Connect
Tennessee.”
“We are joining hands with Connect Tennessee and we will be
one of the first counties to try to provide Broadband to the
entire county,” said Jackson. “Because of what we are doing,
they have agreed to put Lauderdale County at the top of the
list.”
Strides are also being taken to work with businesses and
industry in the Lauderdale County area to provide training in
the use of technology, beginning in kindergarten through 12th
grade and extending into higher education establishments like
the Tennessee Technology Center in Ripley and the University of
Tennessee at Martin’s new Ripley Center.
“This training would provide students the opportunity to be
ready to go to work in some of the local industries, such as the
printing industry,” said Jackson. “Examples of that industry
include American Greetings, (which has a factory in Ripley) that
is working with us on the project, and Quebecor World, which has
facilities in Dyersburg, Covington and Trenton. All of these
require some technology skills as they are moving from the
traditional printing to digital printing.”
Though Jackson is excited about the advantages Broadband
service will provide to education in the county, he said the
initiative will bring benefits to all areas of the community.
"In addition to the educational benefit of this Broadband
access, law enforcement, health care services, local government
and agriculture will all find improvements,” said Jackson. “The
more computers we get in the homes, the more access we have.
Health services can bring education concerning health issues
into the home, (and there) is a lot of technology in farming
today, from the layout of fields to knowing how many seeds will
be needed.”
“I think this is a really exciting time,” said Jackson. “And
I’m really pleased that Lauderdale County is stepping out and
leading the way.”
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