Emerge program helps bridge the digital divide for high school students in Fargo area
As part of AT&T’s nationwide commitment to help bridge the digital divide, AT&T is contributing $22,400 to Emerging Prairie to support Emerge – a new program within its Emerging Digital Academy (EDA) that provides digital skills and training for underserved high school students in the Fargo area.
The goal of the Emerge program is to provide students with basic computer skills, digital literacy, online safety, and digital navigation tools to bolster their academic and career readiness success. The AT&T contribution was announced during Emerging Prairie’s Elevate Conference, which aims to highlight tech innovation, foster connections, promote curiosity, and elevate the tech community. 
“Our goal is to accelerate the growth and development of our communities so the region can create, attract, and grow the businesses today that will create its tomorrow,” said Blaine Booher, Program Director of Emerging Digital Academy. “That includes making sure our youth have the digital skills and training they need to help power the businesses of the future. We are so grateful that AT&T’s support will help our Emerge program prepare students with the digital skills and training they need to be successful.”
Emerge is aimed at high school students with a focus on cybersecurity, programming, and other related fields. One of the main obstacles that prospective students face is a lack of digital and job readiness skills. Emerge training offers a pre-learning opportunity to help high school students, especially those in the female, underrepresented, and low-income population, bolster their success in EDA’s 20-week software development bootcamp, other programs, or employment. Students receive weekly check-ins with staff to address a variety of skills, including digital training, professionalism, and technical development skills.
“AT&T is proud to support Emerging Prairie and their work to not only foster technology and innovation in the Fargo area, but also support digital skills for our youth,” said Cheryl Riley, President, AT&T Northern Plains. “Digital literacy training and access to connectivity are vital to bridge the digital divide, and we are glad we can help Emerging Prairie enhance its digital skills program for high school youth in need.”
In North Dakota, it’s estimated that 12% of households don’t have access to the internet or connected devices needed to fully participate in the online world, an issue known as the digital divide. Emerging Prairie’s Emerge program works to bridge that digital divide for underserved youth through technology support and digital literacy training.
This contribution is part of the AT&T Connected Learning® initiative to help address the digital divide through internet accessibility, affordability and safe adoption. AT&T is committing $5 billion to help 25 million people get and stay connected to affordable, high-speed internet by 2030.
Learn more at att.com/connectedlearning.
