OPEN HOUSE/HEALTH FAIR 7/30/11

DISCOUNT CABLE AND LAPTOP FROM COMCAST

WOW! Comcast Offers Families Discount High Speed Internet for $9.95 and $149 Computers

Comcast aims to bridge the digital divide.

Just in time for the new school year, Comcast will unveil the Internet Essentials program where families enrolled in the free-lunch program at their school can receive high speed internet service for $9.95 plus a new notebook computer for $149.

Eligible families must live within a Comcast service location; must not have had Comcast service within the last 90 days; must not have an outstanding Comcast bill or rental equipment; and must be enrolled in the free-lunch program at their school.

Enrolled families will receive a voucher to be used at a Comcast partner’s store, such as Walmart, to get their $149 computer. The computer will have standard software installed, including the Norton security program that comes with Comcast service.

Comcast's Johnnie Giles

Johnnie Giles, executive director of external affairs for Comcast Corporation and vice president of external affairs for Comcast Cable, announced the Internet Essentials program during the Blogging While Brown Conference held recently in Los Angeles.

Giles asked the bloggers in attendance to spread the word to their communities about the program.

“Community-based organizations or education advocates can sign on for the materials so you can distribute those to the families that we hope to serve,” he said. “We’re reaching out to public, charter and parochial schools to send these flyers home, hopefully in conjunction with free lunch [forms], so they can pay attention to those mailings. We have a robust marketing plan around this, and many government officials have pledged support to come out and really drive the message down into the school districts that they should participate in this. We’ve partnered with libraries, churches, community-based organizations and community leaders to help publicize that this is out there.”

The grassroots effort to raise awareness about the Internet Essentials program will also include public service announcements. “As we get closer to school actually starting, we’ll be running public service announcements on TV and radio. We’ve got some national partners, but I think this is really a local initiative. That’s why our field teams are pushing so hard right now to get schools signed up, to make awareness available to everybody and transform, and get people on the Internet.”

Noting that the Internet Essentials program is still in its “experimental stage,” Giles added that “many ISPs [Internet service providers] are doing their own projects but this is ours, and we hope to really make a difference.” Giles acknowledged that the program is a part of the conditions for the merger with NBC Universal, but that it is not a temporary initiative.

“We have been trying to work with the FCC and just the general community in trying to bridge the digital divide. This is an issue. For instance, we had a project in California with the California Emerging Technology Fund where we gave them a grant so they could work with the worst-performing middle school … So, that’s ongoing, and we’re still going to fund those kinds of activities, too. This is a bigger approach that we came to agreement to with the FCC.”

When asked if the $149, standard notebook computer is out of the price point for a family that is eligible for free-school lunch, Giles seemed confident that many families will be able to sign up.

“This was the best that we could negotiate with the manufacturers, and, so, this is what we’re going to try to go out with, and we’ll see what that take rate is,” Giles said. “It’s an experiment, so we’re going to have to test it. We do know that these households have very high adoption of cellular telephones, and [the] average costs for smartphones are more than $149.”

Comcast’s Internet Essentials program’s ultimate goal, Giles added, is to provide open access to the Internet and to bridge the digital divide. –zondra hughes

http://customer.comcast.com/Pages/FAQViewer.aspx?Guid=abfebf9c-5626-434f-a295-9fe46919cb4d

ACE TECH GRADUATES RECEIVE 1.3 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS

ACE Tech Charter High School 2011 Graduates Receive More than

1.3 Million In Scholarships

Chicago, IL, June 20, 2011: On June 2, 2011, ACE Tech Charter High School (ACE Tech) graduating class of 2011 had the most successful class ever in the history of ACE Tech. According to Cecilla Baader, Assistant Principal at ACE Tech, the 2011 Senior’s had the highest cumulative GPA ever! Also, the Senior’s applied to, and were accepted to more colleges and apprenticeship programs than any other class. At last count, the awarded scholarships total topped more than 1.3 million dollars, which is more than any other class.

ACE Tech Charter High School is the only Chicago area charter high school which introduces urban minority and female students to careers in architecture, construction, and engineering.

ACE Tech was founded in 2004 by Chicagoland architecture, construction, and engineering (ACE) leaders committed to preparing inner-city youth for the challenges of a construction industry career. This is accomplished through a learning model which combines the best of classroom, hands-on, and out-of-school experiences.

ACE Tech Charter High School are still accepting applications for Fall admission. For additional information, please contact 773.548.8705.

DRAMATIC CUTS TO EARLYCHILDHOOD FUNDING

House Appropriations Committee’s Proposals Threaten $50 Million in Federal Funding

The Illinois House appropriations committee voted this week to make dramatic cuts to early childhood funding.

Email your legislators now—tell them to protect critical services for young children!

Charged with developing budgets under conservative revenue estimates, the House Human Services Appropriations Committee voted yesterday to cut 10% from home visiting funding for the state. Under this proposal, the Healthy Families and Parents Too Soon budget lines were reduced by a combined $1.6 million. Such a dramatic cut to this funding would not only jeopardize current service delivery in Illinois, but also puts at risk the state’s eligibility to apply for as much as $50 million in federal funding for evidence-based home visiting programs.

In addition, the House Elementary and Secondary Education Appropriations Committee passed a budget proposal that makes a 5% reduction to the Early Childhood Block Grant. Programs and school districts across the state, distressed by cuts in FY10 and delayed payments, have already been forced to close classrooms and eliminate preschool services for 5,000 young children. We must tell our legislators that any further cuts to early learning programs are unacceptable.

Contact your legislators today and ask them to talk to their party and appropriations committee leadership to prevent these devastating cuts.

CHHC May Newsletter

Check out this month's edition of the

CHHC Newsletter

Chicago Force Women's Tackle Football Discounts

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL Are you looking for a something new and exciting for your youth to do? Tired of the same old boring fieldtrips. Help to break the stereotype that tough sports are for boys and cheerleading is for girls!

Check out the Chicago Force women’s tackle football games. Please see the attached flyer for group discount rates. Group Youth Packages Available! The Chicago Force welcomes any and all groups to attend one of our FOUR home games at Winnemac Stadium. After the game, fans have the opportunity to meet and socialize with players, get autographs and take photos. There is also an interactive halftime performance! Discounted rates! $2 youth $5 adults For more information or group discounts, please contact Taylor Malloy taylor.malloy@gmail.com