District uses donations to purchase personal mobile hotspots

BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (KIDK/KIFI) - Bonneville School District #93 purchased mobile hotspots with the donations coming into the Internet Connectivity Fund established recently for students in need.

The district has 100 so far. Staff from the technology department was outside the district offices Thursday, handing them out to parents who have already signed up with the district. These are homes that don't have Internet connectivity for school work at home.

Here's how they work:

"The hotspot. You just plug it in with the little cord" said Peggy Ewing, secretary of the technology department, pulling a small cord out of baggie. "Plug it into the wall and turn it on and then it will connect to the Internet."

The mobile hotspot connects to the Internet through cellular.

The district has ordered another 150 that should arrive sometime next week.

The donation fund, that was featured as a Pay It Forward story Wednesday night, is covering the cost of the units, plus the monthly cellular fee for each.

Also, there will eventually be 10 Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the district. Currently, two are operational: one at the north end of the Bonneville High School parking lot and another at the Hillview Elementary parking lot. Only a student's district credentials will allow connection. For updates when the other eight hotspots will be turned on and where, check the Bonneville School District's Facebook page.

Donations to the Internet Connectivity Fund for students in need in the Bonneville School District can be made through the Bonneville Education Foundation by clicking here.