Summer break may evoke a weekend at the beach, a roadtrip with family, a barbecue in the backyard or countless other activities both inside and outside the home. Regardless of the setting, you can rest assured that our devices are often not far from our side - whether that be a smartphone, tablet or computer.
This is increasingly true for our kids. In fact, a comprehensive 2020 study from Pew Research Center found that roughly one-in-five parents of a child younger than 12 say their child has their own smartphone.
In the bustle of our busy lives, it’s easy to assume our children have the skills to safely and responsibly navigate digital technology. But that doesn’t always come naturally, or without some coaching from an adult in their lives. This can be especially true for families that are new to the internet and devices and don’t know where to start to gain digital skills or what education resources are available.
June is National #InternetSafetyMonth, and at AT&T, one thing we believe is connectivity, summer learning and entertainment can go hand in hand with the right tools for navigating online safely and effectively.
This is especially true for newly connected families and those communities impacted by the digital divide, which are most likely affected by the summer slide- a phenomenon that affects students of color, rural students and low-income students harder. Recognizing the need for dedicated support for students in this space, we kicked off the AT&T Connected Learning Initiative last year, as part of our companywide $2 billion commitment from 2021 to 2023 to help close the digital divide.
We recognize it’s important not only to get families connected to the internet and devices, it’s also important for them to have access to education resources that teach them how to safely and effectively engage in the online world. That’s why we’re investing in digital literacy tools, education resources, broadband technology, low-cost internet service, computers, and more, to help today’s learners succeed wherever they learn – including during the school year and into the summer. This effort builds on our long-standing support for parents and families through education and digital safety initiatives.
If you’re a parent looking for resources for summer learning and how to get started with digital technology, here are a few ready-made resources to help you and your family on your learning journey.
As our daily lives become increasingly reliant on technology, it’s critical our children are equipped with the online safety skills and educational resources they’ll need for a lifetime. This summer, however you plan to spend time together as a family, we hope you’ll take advantage of these free resources to help ensure you and your kids can connect safely.
Mylayna Albright, is currently the Assistant Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility. In this role she is responsible for leading the Community & Social Investment team. She manages the philanthropic budget for the AT&T Foundation education initiatives. She also strategizes and designs programming that impacts underserved communities nationwide.
Most recently, she served as the Director of External Affairs for AT&T Ohio, responsible for the development and implementation of strategies and programs to promote the company’s legislative position on federal, state and local policy/legislation. She led the Ohio External Affairs team, consisting of six area managers, to plan and implement activities which led to successfully achieving AT&T’s legislative objectives.
Mylayna was promoted to general management in 2012, after completing a year-long rotational assignment with the AT&T Public Affairs team in Washington, DC. She managed the relationship with national trade associations which included educating them on national telecom policies and legislation, and subsequently obtaining their legislative support.
Mylayna participates in numerous professional, community and civic organizations. She is a member of AT&T’s Community NETwork and Women of AT&T. She’s participated in the inaugural AT&T Executive Black Leadership Experience (EBLE), General Management Accelerated Development Program (GMADP) and recipient of the Women of Color STEM Magazine Technology Rising Star Award.
Mylayna is a licensed attorney, holding a Juris Doctorate, a Master of Arts (Journalism) and a Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) from The Ohio State University. She currently resides in Dallas, TX.
Your information will be subject to a different privacy policy that we recommend you review. FOSI has no control over the content of an external site.
.svg)
