Gaston Middle School students talk digital divide with HUD secretary

Fresno students joined students in Nashville, Tennessee and Newark, New Jersey, on Wednesday in a Google hangout with the HUD secretary to talk about the digital divide through the ConnectHome initiative, Fresno Unified School District said.

Gaston Middle School students’ conversation with HUD, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, was to tackle issues of connectivity, including home access and barriers to digital learning.

In July 2015, Secretary Julián Castro announced ConnectHome, an initiative to extend affordable broadband access to families living in HUD-assisted housing, FUSD said. Through ConnectHome, Internet service providers, nonprofits and the private sector will offer broadband access, technical training, digital literacy programs, and devices for residents in assisted housing units in 28 communities across the nation, including those supported by the Fresno Housing Authority.

This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 9:36 PM with the headline "Gaston Middle School students talk digital divide with HUD secretary."