HughesNet Receives Silver Stevie® Award in 2021 American Business Awards®

GERMANTOWN, Md., May 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), an innovator in satellite technologies and networks for 50 years, announced today that it has won a Silver Stevie^® Award for its HughesNet^® corporate social responsibility initiative with National 4-H Council to develop STEM-centric educational programming for 4-H at Home. The standout program from HughesNet, the leading satellite Internet service, and 4-H, America's largest youth development organization, is designed to inspire and educate the next generation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) leaders through hands-on learning.

When the demand for quality, at-home learning resources skyrocketed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hughes and 4-H quickly mobilized to expand the HughesNet-sponsored STEM Lab and to launch 4-H at Home, a free online platform of over 500 interactive educational activities that all young people can access from home. As a result, 4-H's year-over-year portal traffic surged to 300%, and 4-H at Home activity downloads grew by 65%, enabling hundreds of thousands of youth to supplement their virtual instruction with activities such as Solar S'mores, DIY Flashlight, and Wonderful Wetlands.

"At HughesNet, we believe it's absolutely essential for young people to have access to STEM education no matter where they live," said Peter Gulla, senior vice president at Hughes. "This award speaks volumes to the progress we have made, together with 4-H, in expanding STEM access at a time when maintaining the quality of the next generation's education, especially in subject areas like STEM, is among our highest priorities."

Here's what this year's Stevie^® Award judges had to say about the HughesNet and 4-H program, which was recognized in the Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year category in the 2021 American Business Awards^®:

• "What stood out was how HughesNet pivoted during the pandemic to provide much needed online access to quality STEM education for children and their families."
• "A great CSR initiative to promote STEM education during the pandemic for children. Online educational activities are extremely important to maintain the learning curve of our youth."
• "Jaw-droppingly useful, audience-centric, engaging content delivered in a simple, easy-to-navigate style with can-do copywriting! I want to share this with every family I know. What a considered and considerate application of corporate strengths to social responsibility. The result is a true partnership between Hughes Network Systems and 4-H, but the real winners are the kids and communities that are better for such great information."

"A passion for STEM starts at an early age by creating that spark and excitement for a young person that happens through hands-on activities," said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4-H Council. "When COVID-19 surged, STEM subjects were among the hardest to teach virtually due to their innate hands-on and interactive nature. Through HughesNet's support we were able to create the 4-H at Home platform and reach young people with innovative hybrid learning that involves online and hands-on components. We are excited to continue innovating with our hybrid learning model setting the stage for new best practices in positive youth development."

Since 2014, Hughes has worked with 4-H to help inspire young people's interest in STEM through engaging, high-quality educational content and STEM-focused initiatives. In addition to supporting STEM Lab, HughesNet is the annual sponsor of the 4-H Youth in Action STEM Pillar Award, which this year recognized Aidan Spencer of Oklahoma for his ardent advocacy of STEM education in his community. 

The American Business Awards are the United States' premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S. are eligible to submit nominations – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2021 Stevie winners are available at www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.    

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About Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), an innovator in satellite and multi-transport technologies and networks for 50 years, provides broadband equipment and services; managed services featuring smart, software-defined networking; and end-to-end network operation for millions of consumers, businesses, governments and communities worldwide. The Hughes flagship Internet service, HughesNet^®, connects more than 1.5 million subscribers across the Americas, and the Hughes JUPITER™ System powers Internet access for tens of millions more worldwide. Hughes supplies more than half the global satellite terminal market to leading satellite operators, in-flight service providers, mobile network operators and military customers. A managed network services provider, Hughes supports nearly 500,000 enterprise sites with its HughesON™ portfolio of wired and wireless solutions. Headquartered in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes is owned by EchoStar. To learn more, visit www.hughes.com or follow HughesConnects on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About EchoStar
EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) is a premier global provider of satellite communication solutions. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., and conducting business around the globe, EchoStar is a pioneer in communications technologies through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar Satellite Services business segments. For more information, visit echostar.com. Follow @EchoStar on Twitter.

About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards^®, The International Business Awards^®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. The Stevies also produce the annual Women|Future Conference.  Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

Sponsors of The 2021 American Business Awards include John Hancock Financial Services, Melissa Sones Consulting, and SoftPro.

SOURCE Hughes Network Systems, LLC

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