YMCA of the USA and The Achievery(SM) collaborate to Bridge Digital Divide for Students Nationwide

CHICAGO, Oct. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- YMCA of the USA (Y-USA), the national resource office for the 2,600+ YMCAs across the country, is excited to announce the launch of a $1 million national collaboration with The Achievery^SM to provide increased access to digital learning opportunities and help close existing technology gaps at YMCA before and afterschool programs across the country.

The Achievery^SM aligns with the Y's mission of inclusivity by addressing the digital divide, helping more students thrive in digital learning environments while narrowing the homework gap. The collaboration will grant select Y locations across the US access to The Achievery^SM, a free digital online platform delivering rich and entertaining educational content and literary resources that help promote learning everywhere.

Through this collaboration, select Y before and afterschool programs will be able to utilize this technology to engage students in digital learning. The program aims to reach 5,000 students and train 300 Y staff nationwide during the 2024-2025 academic year.

"The Y is thrilled to work with The Achievery^SM to bring cutting-edge digital learning resources to our before and afterschool programs," said Suzanne McCormick, President and CEO of Y-USA. "This collaboration will give more students access to the tools and resources they need to succeed academically. By empowering Y staff and helping students increase their digital literacy, we can make a lasting impact on young people and strengthen our communities. We are grateful to The Achievery for its generous support."

"The collaboration between AT&T's The Achievery^SM and the YMCA will ensure thousands of students across the country have access to the educational resources they need to succeed while empowering them to learn and grow in a supportive environment," said Mylayna Albright, Assistant Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at AT&T. "By integrating this platform into YMCA programs, we are helping to bridge the digital divide and provide students with the tools and confidence to navigate and excel in the digital landscape."

The Achievery^SM pairs engaging lesson plans and learning activities with content from leading entertainment collaborators and education experts. All lesson plans are aligned to academic standards and reviewed by education experts. This unique platform, accessible online and via mobile apps, is designed for students, parents and educational facilitators to make distance learning more effective. Learn more at theachievery.com.

About the Y
Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community for more than 175 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they're from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships, and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations, the Y's goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities nationwide. Learn more at ymca.org.

About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T 
We're committed to advancing education, creating opportunities, strengthening communities, and improving lives. As part of our companywide commitment to address the digital divide, we launched AT&T Connected Learning® to invest in connectivity and technology, digital literacy, and education solutions to help today's learners succeed inside and outside of the classroom. Since 2008 we've committed to programs that help millions of students across all 50 states, Washington D.C and around the world, particularly those in underserved communities.

SOURCE YMCA of the USA