Bridging the Student Digital Divide

We’ve always been a steadfast supporter and partner in promoting and advancing student learning in our communities. So as local schools across our footprint struggle with an onslaught of closures, health and safety issues, increased costs and revenue losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our local teams are partnering with the Vulcan Materials Company Foundation to help ease some of the burden for schools and their students. 

With the launch of remote learning, the digital divide — lack of home access to computers and the Internet — is posing a very serious challenge to student learning. In partnership with the Vulcan Materials Company Foundation, we are providing funds to help purchase WiFi hotspots and Chromebooks for students who otherwise would not have access to virtual learning including. Our partnerships include: 

Irwindale, California

Western Division’s Durbin facility in Irwindale, California provided funding for Baldwin Park Unified School District’s WiFi Hotspot Grant to provide Internet connections for the entire 2020-2021 school year to students most in need. Specifically, the connection and other tools will benefit 100 homeless and group home foster youth to enable them to stay connected during distance-learning requirements.

Phoenix, Arizona

The Laveen School District in Phoenix, Arizona, is offering in-person and online classes for the 2020-2021 school year. More than half of the student population chose to participate online. In addition to needing Chromebooks, the District identified 450 households without any Internet access. Vulcan’s Mountain West Division provided Vulcan Foundation funds to purchase Chromebooks and more than 250 WiFi hotspots to connect students to participate in the online learning program.  

Uvalde, Texas

In Uvalde, Texas, almost 50% of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) students have chosen to learn virtually the 2020-2021 school year.  District officials determined that they needed more than 1,110 WiFi hotspots to provide adequate Internet access for families in need.  Vulcan’s financial support, leveraged with a matching grant from the Texas Education Agency, enabled the school to purchase all of the needed equipment.  Vulcan’s Southwest Division plants in Knippa and Uvalde have been long-time partners with Uvalde CISD and the community.