Connecting Maryvale

Phoenix AZ

03 December, 2021

12:27 AM

Description

Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, Design Studio for Community Solutions, at Arizona State University is bringing free Wi-Fi to Maryvale residents to bridge the digital gap and help families fully utilized online education and health opportunities. The Maryvale One Square Mile Initiative is a geographically focused community development initiative, putting ASU resources into the community-based to help residents reach their goals and aspirations. Mariya Bahrenburg is the program coordinator at the Design Studio and works closely on the One Square Mile Initiative. The Design Studio and the Isaac School District are teaming up to bring internet to Maryvale homes by collaborating with community partners and residents, Bahrenburg said. According to four sampled 2019 Census Tracts provided by the Design Studio, an average of 40% of households that live in specific neighborhoods in Maryvale have no internet access. "The Census reported that 82.6% of Phoenix homes had broadband between 2015 and 2019." The free WI-FI is supplied by Arizona State University's WI-FI network. Brining free internet to Maryvale extends from the pilot project done by the Design Studio's One Square Mile Initiative to bring internet to eight families near the Isaac School District in 2020. The hardware was installed at Isaac Middle School building to ensure the Wi-Fi connection reached the homes of the families. Berto Perez is the director of technology for Isaac School District. When the covid-19 hit the valley, students were affected by the schools converting to online. The technological dived thrived in Maryvale. Students did not have the technologies they needed at home to get an education. "We have some of our families who live in housing communities, where they don't have direct access to high-speed internet at their home," Perez said. Isaac School District administrators know they need to connect with their families and make changes and find resources to connect. "Students just didn't have an option to have learning… at Isaac, we don't accept that our kids can't learn," Perez said. "No broadband (internet speed) access was effectively the same as if we had put a padlock on the front door of the school." The Isaac District brought in computers and individual hotspots for the students, through grant funding. However, the need for a sustainable connection for the students became a priority once the demand rose and the funds ran out, Perez said. The Design Studio is canvassing in Maryvale neighborhoods and spreading awareness to residents that connecting to free high-speed internet is possible. "The three pillars of this project are education, health care, and workforce development (job opportunities). This is what we hope to improve through internet connection…this is the ultimate goal," Bahrenburg said. The Design Studio is still in the beginning stages of extending the pilot project. The Design Studio team is focused on its mission, to bring high-speed internet to the community and break the technological barriers for community members. "It needs ground level momentum- where the community itself (Maryvale) can sustain this effort," Bahrenburg said. If you reside within a 1-mile radius from Isaac Middle School and are interested in participating in the free-high-speed internet, you can contact the ASU help desk, at 1-(833)-713-0649.