Rauner visits Elk Grove High to laud program providing Internet to low-income students

For the first three years of Carina Bailon's high school career she was never able to do her homework at home. The Elk Grove High School senior's family couldn't afford Internet access at home, where she had to spend her evenings to baby-sit two younger siblings while her parents worked.

Instead, Carina rushed to get her homework done in school, or tried to complete assignments on her phone, which was too slow and small to handle much of her work.

"Juggling school and my responsibilities at home was very difficult," said Carina, who lives in Des Plaines. "I dreaded doing my homework because it was so stressful."

Now, thanks to a Sprint mobile hot spot her family received for free in August, Carina can do her homework, check her grades and apply to colleges, all from home.

Later this year she will be the first member of her family to graduate from high school and go on to college.

"It's made a huge difference in my life," she said.

Gov. Bruce Rauner and executives from Sprint visited Elk Grove High School on Tuesday to applaud a partnership between the company and five suburban high school districts, including Northwest Suburban High School District 214, that provides mobile hot spots to low-income students.

A mobile hot spot is a small device that creates an area of wireless Internet coverage.

Sprint has committed to provide $3 million worth of connectivity over the next four years to help more than 1,600 students get connected at home.

"This gets us one step closer to bridging the digital divide and leveling the playing field for all students," said Tracy Nolan, president and general manager of Sprint in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Maine Township District 207, Leyden High School District 212, Glenbard Township High School District 87 and Hillside District 93 are the others participating in the program so far.

"This is part of what makes our community successful, folks coming together to solve problems and improve the future for families and young people in Illinois," Rauner said. "The single most important thing we can do for our young people is provide an outstanding education."

District 214 Superintendent David Schuler said 30 percent of students in the district may not have Internet access at home.

All students in the district have an iPad from the school, however.

"It is my belief that public schools have an obligation to spur the resurgence of the middle class in our country and providing access and opportunities for all students and their families does just that," Schuler said.

Hank Tiele, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at District 207, said all the district's students have Chromebook laptops, but they are working to get 200 hot spots for students in need by February. Sprint volunteered to purchase another 100 for the district.

Carina said she is so grateful for the ability to have Internet at home, something many of her classmates take for granted.

Because of the hot spot she has been able to help her younger brother with his homework as well.

Next year she plans to be in college studying to be a teacher.

"I love kids, I love helping kids. It's such an awesome thing," she said.