By Caryn Frey, Cox Middle Georgia Market Vice President

We’re a month into the summer break. Kids have recovered from final exams and end of year testing.  Vacations, camps, and lazy days are now on top of the to do lists. But it’s important to make sure your student doesn’t lose everything they just learned over the course of the last nine months. 

Having your child connected to the internet is one easy way to eliminate the “summer slide.” There are many ways to disguise internet learning as fun.  Introducing kids to educational online games and activities are always good ways to stimulate the mind when the heat index makes playing outdoors miserable. You can also find a blog or website that features your student’s interests.  Having your kids read the blogs out loud to you or another family member can help them with their reading and comprehension skills.  There’s a wide range of activities that can stimulate learning while still enjoying the summer break.

Despite significant progress over the last decade, internet adoption remains a major challenge for low-income families across the United States. This forces some families to turn to restaurants, libraries, and other public places to connect. This proves inconvenient and cumbersome for already busy schedules.

That’s why Cox offers several low-cost internet plans and works with community partners, to raise awareness of initiatives that help bridge the digital divide. Since it launched in 2012, Cox’s Connect2Compete program alone has connected thousands of Middle Georgia households with school-age children, by providing service to these families for less than $10/month.

Cox built on the success of that program in 2021 with the launch of ConnectAssist. ConnectAssist bridges the gap for qualifying low-income households that don’t include students. Cox is also a participating partner in the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides an additional $30/month subsidy for these customers—for some, this results in a monthly broadband bill of $0.

Cox customers can qualify for the ACP discount in multiple ways. Eligible families include those who participate in the National School Lunch Program, SNAP, TANF, federal public housing, LIHEAP, WIC, Head Start or Tribal programs. Other eligible customers include those who received a Pell Grant for the current academic year; those who receive Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI); those who receive a veteran’s pension and survivors’ benefits; and anyone who can show proof that their income falls at or below 200 percent of federal poverty guidelines. Applicants may be required to provide additional documentation to verify their identity, participation in a federal program, or income.

Getting connected is just the beginning. Many first-time internet users lack the digital literacy skills necessary to make the most of their internet connection. To help bridge this gap, Cox offers free digital literacy training and resources through the Cox Digital Academy. Spanish-language resources are also available and range from computer and internet basics to educational games for students of all ages. 

If you or someone you know could benefit from these offerings, visit www.cox.com/digitalequity so that the only sliding your family is doing this summer is at the park or the pool.

Sponsored content from our partners at Cox Communications