( ENSPIRE Community Spotlight ) In Response To Increased Remote Learning For Many Florida Schools, TBC Corporation Gives Back Through Laptop Donation
ENSPIRE Contributor: Elizabeth Duchan
As COVID-19 levels continue on an upward trend in Florida, more and more schools are turning to complete remote learning for 2020 to the 2021 year. With this decision has come a plethora of new issues, with one of the most prominent being students having access to adequate technology. TBC Corporation aims to tackle this problem computer by computer, donating 200 laptops to schools throughout the Lake Okeechobee area in Florida.
TBC Corporation has been at the forefront of the automotive industry for over 60 years, growing to be one of the leaders in marketing for tire replacement through its premier brands and repair services. Alongside their initiative for quality service, however, is the core value to “leave everything better,” especially through their program TBC Driven To Give; the business aims its corporate social responsibility towards giving back to their communities.
Alongside the uncertainty and upheaval that the pandemic itself has caused comes a growing concern that many students lack the technology needed to succeed in an online learning environment. With over 11 million students in the United States without computers and 7 million students living in houses without proper internet access, educators worry that inequities in resources will reveal themselves through students’ performance in remote school, putting less wealthy students at a sufficient disadvantage.
Though this issue continues to run rampant, TBC Corporation aims to do its part in tackling it headfirst. With computers equipped with the latest version of Windows 10 and compatible with school learning systems, Erik R. Olsen, the President and CEO of the company, asserts that the hope is to “make life a bit easier for families and teachers as they move forward with the critical work of teaching and learning in an online distance learning environment for the start of the academic school year.”
The 200 laptops will be distributed equally between Everglades Preparatory Academy and Glades Academy Charter School, with priority given to students who completely lack computer access at home. Though the pandemic continues to throw countless roadblocks, TBC Corporation’s efforts to maneuver through these challenging times and provide resources for their town’s growth is a gesture that speaks far beyond the computers themselves.
