Verizon Community Blog

A new BBC documentary highlights the impact Verizon Innovative Learning has had in the lives of students, teachers, and community of Lady Bird Johnson Middle School.

By: Cara Jurkowski

Ah, middle school. Whether you recall your own experiences (I’m still trying to forget) or happen to have a middle schooler of your own (I’ll lend you mine for a while...), you’ll probably agree that it’s a time marked by transition.

It’s a transition from tweens to teens, and it can be dramatic. Interests change. Voices crack. Growth spurts disappoint some and leave others as gangly as colts. Acne breaks out. Braces for teeth, scoliosis, growth-loosened joints. Elementary school friendships born of convenience are replaced with those forged by common interests and activities. Crushes emerge with the stealth of hunting cats … or runaway steamrollers.

The outline of adulthood.

It’s also a time that is remarkably influential, sketching out in light strokes the adult that the child will become, in which exposing students to myriad experiences can have a profound effect on their future passions. It’s for this reason Verizon Innovative Learning targets middle schools and high schools in our effort to bridge the digital divide.

The BBC Storyworks series “The Human Component,” focuses on how corporations are solving some of the biggest challenges facing humanity, through technology. Verizon’s segment takes an in-depth look at Verizon Innovative Learning in action at Irving’s Lady B... through the eyes of three students participating in the program.

The story of students; the story of a community.

Suha, Derick and Lazaro are eighth grade students, and without the context, you might think they were students at a high-tech STEM academy, rather than at a school where 65% of the students qualify for a free or reduced lunch. With the help of their teacher, Patrick Yates, and their Verizon Innovative Learning Lab, they are learning how to tackle some very grown-up issues through the use of technology.

“The thing I'm most proud of is that I get to help my friends who don’t speak English,” says Lazaro.

Their project? Designing smart glasses capable of helping international students tackle the language barrier. During the course of the class, they’ll assign a project manager, collaborate on a design and 3-D print their prototype. Then, they’ll present it to parents, peers and administrators.

“The students love it,” says Patrick. “They always want to get their hands on the devices.”

“I look around the room; it’s just tech everywhere,” says Suha.

Derick is the Project Manager. “Before this class I never really thought of myself as a leader.” Now? “I can do this. I can be a good leader.”

Seven million stories.

According to the FCC, there are still more than 17 million school-age children that lack internet access at home. Verizon Innovative Learning was launched to address barriers to digital inclusion in Title I schools by working with leading education partners, to empower students with new ways of learning.

In the twelve years since launch, Verizon Innovative Learning has provided extensive support for educators, technology-integrated curriculum, emerging technologies including 5G, and free internet access. We have expanded access to our education programs nationwide through free immersive applications for any device, microcredential-aligned professional development, and tech-focused learning resources.

Our goal is to reach 10 million youth with digital skills training by 2030. To date, we’ve reached 626 middle and high schools nationwide. And with the various programs in the Verizon Innovative Learning umbrella, we’ve already reached more than 7 million students.

7 million stories, just like those of Suha, Derrick and Lazaro, 7 million students that have felt that spark of inspiration fanned into a fire as they discover the possibilities that await in the world of science and technology.

“Because of this class, it really made me want to do robotics in high school,” says Lazaro. “It made me think about my future.”

Suha agrees. “I have the world at my fingertips.”

Learn more about Verizon Innovative Learning here.

About the author: Cara Jurkowski is a failed standup comedian who made up for her lack of comedic success by spending the past two decades telling stories about the communications industry and the amazing people who work to connect the world. When she is not writing about Verizon, she lives in an unofficial Lego museum, slowly working through a steadily growing backlog of unbuilt sets at a perfectly acceptable pace.

Looking for the perfect gift for your recent grad? These five tech gifts for grads are recommended by college professors and students alike.

By: Audrey Smith

Classroom technology is constantly evolving, which can make it challenging to know what devices an incoming college student may need as they transition to campus life. To help sort it out, this guide to tech gifts for grads is based on input from college professors and students alike. Here are the five tech items they consider essential, with insights about how they’re used both in and outside of the classroom.

1. An updated smartphone

Smartphones have become essential for staying on top of coursework. This is especially true as more universities adopt mobile-friendly learning management systems that allow students to receive grades and classwide updates, check assignment deadlines, and contribute to discussion boards using a mobile device or a hot spot connection to power their research.Beyond academics, smartphones also now play a crucial role in a variety of on-campus events and top the list of gifts for graduates.

What professors say:

“At career fairs, students need to scan QR codes in order to access employer websites and event registration information,” says Dr. Ray Pastore, professor of Instructional Technology and Director of Esports at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (and a paid writer for this Web site). “I run my university’s Esports club, which has its own Discord community as a way for students to stay engaged … and all that discussion happens on a student’s mobile device.”

Gifts for graduates: Shop Verizon smartphones

See if they’re staying safe on the road with Smart Family.  Get started

2. On-the-go charging to expand their options

The transition to campus life comes with plenty of challenges, but scrambling to charge a laptop or tablet shouldn’t be one of them. With a portable charger, students can keep their devices running, whether they’re taking notes in the lecture hall or writing a paper outside on the quad. And a portable battery booster means they can charge their device even if they can’t find a wall outlet.

What students say:

“Portable chargers allow students to study anywhere, rather than being tied to a specific location or places with wall sockets,” says Mercer Brady, a history major.

Gifts for graduates: Shop portable chargers and batteries here.

3. A smartwatch to help them stay organized

A smartwatch can let you know when it’s time to head to class or other activities, which is especially useful when students don’t have their phones nearby.

What professors say:

“Having a smartwatch is nice for all the situations where students don’t—or shouldn’t—have their phones,” Pastore says. “Some professors dislike it when students bring a phone to class, but with a smartwatch they can quickly look down at an incoming text and determine if they need to respond or know if there’s an emergency.”

Gifts for graduates: Shop smartwatches and accessories here.

4. Headphones to boost their focus

From listening to focus-boosting music to blowing off steam at the campus gym, a quality pair of headphones can help set new students up for success in all their activities. Wireless earbuds offer a great way for students to listen to podcasts and other course materials on the go, while a wired pair of noise-canceling headphones makes an excellent gift for graduates who plan to live in university residence halls.

What students say:

“Noise-canceling headphones are a must. Being able to focus only on whatever I’m listening to is helpful for staying on task, whether it’s studying, cleaning or working out,” says Jillian Newmyer, radiation health physics graduate student, class of 2025.

What professors say:

“Especially for gamers living in the dorms, noise-canceling headphones should perform two different functions: They should cancel out background noise while also making sure your noise doesn’t bother anyone else,” Pastore says.

Gifts for graduates: Shop headsets and earbuds here.

5. A tablet to make note-taking easier

Laptops remain a necessity for many students, such as those who are studying engineering, computer science or multimedia development. But when it comes to bringing a device from class to class, tablets offer a convenient and highly portable alternative. More students are showing up to class with tablets and note-taking accessories, such as a keyboard or Bluetooth pen.

What students say:

“My tablet made taking notes in class extremely easy! I was able to use a Bluetooth pen to annotate slides during lectures … and taking hand-written notes is proven to be effective at increasing understanding of a subject,” says Grace Mayer, nursing major.

Gifts for graduates: Shop tablets here.

See if they’re staying safe on the road with Smart Family. Get started.

About the author: Audrey Smith is a multimedia journalist, public media producer and former high school English teacher whose writing focuses on tech, AI and digital literacy for kids.

But who or what is the unsung hero of your favorite games?

By: George Koroneos - Manager External Communications

Two months after the season ended in Las Vegas, football is back on the main stage, with the Draft roaring into the Motor City, Detroit, MI.

The 2024 championship game had some impressive high points - a second-half turnaround, quite possibly the highest volume of #TSwizzle mentions in a single football broadcast, and of course, our unbreakable advertising spot with a legendary lemonade songstress.

But for Verizon, our innovation took center stage with Coach-to-Coach communications, a managed private wireless network solution that enables secure and reliable communication between the coaches of the competing teams during the biggest game of the year.

Our very own tech aficionado George Koroneos, broke down Coach-to-Coach tech and spoke with Verizon Business CEO, Kyle Malady on what makes this technology so special and adaptable for businesses.

What is Coach-to-Coach communications?

Coach-to-Coach utilizes custom headsets equipped with SIM cards that connect to a dedicated system of radios at the field level. This creates a private signal exclusive to the coaching staff, eliminating any interference, lag, or downtime that could affect the game strategy.

There’s even a digital dashboard that allows teams to customize who can talk to whom, streamlining the communication flow and reducing the risk of miscommunication.

“NFL games come down to only a handful of plays. And if your communication isn’t rock solid 100% of the time, you risk maybe blowing up one of those plays because your communications didn’t work,” said Malady.

Life beyond the stadium

However, Verizon’s managed private network solution is not designed solely for professional sports. At its heart, Coach-to-Coach is a managed wireless network that can work for any business, whether a sold-out stadium in Las Vegas, a farm in rural Iowa, or a manufacturing floor in Philadelphia - Verizon Business’s private and managed networks provide unmatched security and unparalleled reliability.

To learn more about Verizon’s 5G private network solutions, visit Verizonbusiness.com.

About the author: George Koroneos is PR manager for the Verizon Consumer Group and resident tech and gadget expert.

Celebrate Verizon Innovative Learning’s latest milestone and learn more about our mission to reach 10 million students by 2030.

A little Verizon Innovative Learning math to get your brain pumping.

We have:

• 11 years operating 📅
• A variety of programs offered, including Verizon Innovative Learning Schools, Labs, a summer program, and more
• Through the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program in particular, 626 schools enrolled 🏫 (including 34 new Title I schools from 13 school districts in the upcoming 2024-2025 school year)

Verizon Innovative Learning equips students, educators and administrators with technology or resources to address the barriers to digital inclusion in Title I schools and others across the country.

If you aren’t sure how difficult the barrier is to bridge, consider the fact that, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), there are still nearly 17 million school children in the U.S. that lack internet access at home.

📖 If our goal is to reach 10 million students🎒by the end of the decade – how will we make it happen?

👩‍🏫It takes a VIL-lage

With leading education partners, Verizon Innovative Learning Schools empowers students with new ways of learning through extensive support for educators, technology-integrated curriculum, emerging technologies including 5G and free internet access.

We also provide educators nationwide with access to tools to help bring new ways of learning into their classrooms through Verizon Innovative Learning HQ. The free next-gen online K-12 education portal offers hundreds of free lessons across subjects ranging from supplemental turnkey lessons to yearlong courses and immersive learning experiences with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). In fact, Verizon Innovative Learning HQ is a major way we’ve reached our 7 million student goal!

Verizon Innovative Learning HQ also provides over 50 professional development courses, many aligned with microcredentials, enabling educators to learn new skills and feel confident integrating technology into the learning experience.

📚Let’s have a study session

Learn more about Verizon Innovative Learning from a teacher who’s putting it to work in the classroom [02:37]. Marisol Caraballo is a 5th grade teacher at Hawkins Street School in Newark, New Jersey. She runs a jewelry design program for students, teaching the class everything from design technology to entrepreneurship as they sell their artwork.

Marisol actively seeks curriculum inspiration from Verizon Innovative Learning HQ to infuse art into various subjects and is passionate about making learning relevant for students – emphasizing the importance of connecting education to real-world topics.

📌Expanding the reach

According to Rose Stuckey Kirk, Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, we’re continuing to expand the program into new communities, especially focusing on middle schoolers in under-resourced schools. Said Rose, “We are moving into new states and new territory. That’s why I think new districts, such as the one in New Mexico, are going to see the value of the program. It helps us to continue to level the education playing field for so many.”

In case you missed it during the game, see if Beyoncé can break Verizon's network.  See the extended version here:

Did you know that there are tons of gaming consoles and accessories available from Verizon?  Today we’re going to look at 3 of the most popular gaming platforms and take a look at how Verizon can help set you up for the best gaming experience possible.

Most of us have been the target of some sort of phishing attack, even if we didn’t know what it was called at the time. These messages may look legitimate at a quick glance, but it’s important to be on the lookout for some telltale signs that can caution you against responding, especially with any personal information that could be compromised.

As we settle into the dead of winter, those little conveniences go a long way to keep you comfortable in your home.  Smart Thermostats open up those possibilities by making it easier to adjust the temperature, saving you money on your energy bills in the process!

The Community team here at Verizon has been hard at work to make it more convenient for our members to access the Verizon Community.  We’re thrilled to announce that the Community is now accessible through the My Verizon App!

The Verizon Community is full of experts and our Ask the Expert program connects you directly with them!

As ubiquitous as mobile devices have become over the last 30 years, it’s still rare that we see a brand new device form factor introduced to the industry.  Flip phones, candy bar phones, slide-out keyboards, and the now standard slate design were all transformative in allowing us to interact with our devices and each other in new ways.  The next step in that progression has already been on the market for a few years, but now has more devices than ever: the folding smartphone.

Each month, a new set of trivia questions will be posted on the Activities board, found under Level Up in the Community navigation.  The trivia game will consist of two trivia questions and two word scrambles.  All of these will be related to Verizon products and services or telecommunications in general.

Continuing our Community Leader Spotlight series, today we learn about Cang_Household and his wealth of knowledge!

Community badges have always been a great way to show off your knowledge and participation in the Verizon Community.  This week, we introduced new progression levels for most of our badges, giving our most dedicated members the opportunity to continue leveling up and showing what they’re made of.  We’ve also refreshed our badge designs, offering fun and colorful ways to show off your achievements!

Come learn about our Community Leaders in the first of our Spotlight series, featuring Dexman!

This week on the Community Blog, we’ll be featuring some of our best recent discussions.  Check out what has the Community buzzing and jump into the conversation!