Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
San Mateo County recently completed the second phase of its digital inclusion project and expanded its SMC public Wi-Fi network in the Woodland Park apartment community located in the Westside neighborhood of East Palo Alto.
The project, which will provide free county Internet access to more than 1,800 affordable, rent-controlled apartment units where more than 4,000 residents live, is being done in partnership with the property owner, Sand Hill Property Company.
Among the beneficiaries are 223 K-12 students from Ravenswood City Elementary, Belmont Redwood Shores, Las Lomitas Elementary, Redwood City Elementary and Sequoia Union High public school districts.
As part of the County's public Wi-Fi network expansion, nearly 70 spots have been installed in the Woodland Park community to maximize the number of students, families and local community members who will be able to securely learn and access remotely.
The county said in a statement that since its launch in 2014, San Mateo has been connecting people to the Internet through its free SMC public Wi-Fi network at more than 100 locations, including parks, community centers and public spaces throughout the county.
The document also stated that this latest expansion is part of the SMC Public Wi-Fi Project's goals to provide connectivity to underserved communities, support educational opportunities for students, stimulate local economic development and provide greater access to county services.
"SMC Public Wi-Fi is a central component to connecting students and residents who rely on online access for remote education or work. Our experience over the past five years in building and operating this network has allowed us to rapidly expand SMC Public Wi-Fi in response to urgent community needs," said Jon Walton, the county's chief information officer.
The importance of Internet access was amplified by the "stay-at-home" mandates that emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, for while many residents were able to work or learn from home, there were those who were unable to do so because they lacked broadband service at home.
"Internet access is essential for students to have a fair chance at an education," said Gina Sudaria, superintendent of the Ravenswood City School District.
"Without access to online learning and other resources, these at-risk residents will quickly fall behind in their education and in their lives," said Board of Supervisors Chairman Warren Slocum, who represents the Fourth District.
The expansion of SMC's public Wi-Fi network is part of a digital inclusion pilot initiative created in March 2020 to connect county students in four school districts to engage in online learning by the 2020-2021 school year.
The project was funded with part of the $6.3 million Coronavirus Assistance, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) grant to provide students in four school districts with Internet access for online learning.
The first phase of the Digital Inclusion initiative, launched in August 2020, funded broadband service subscriptions for a total of 650 qualified students in the Ravenswood City School District and La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District.
