Yonkers High School Students Take Part in Addressing Digital Divide Close to Home

YPIE Summer Scholars conduct research to address the digital divide in Yonkers and similar communities across the country.

This past year has shined a light on the disparities in digital connectivity, especially for students in communities like Yonkers, many of whom lack access to devices and reliable internet access from home.


As part of a collaborative effort, a group of Yonkers high school students spent their summer conducting in-depth research and making recommendations to address the digital inequities they and their families faced in an even more challenging way during this time.


Earlier this year, Yonkers was selected as one of many communities across the country to address this stark divide. Led by the Westchester County Association and in partnership with the City of Yonkers, STEM Alliance, Fordham University, Westhab, and Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE), the Y-Zone was created as a pilot program to improve digital connectivity to the community of downtown Yonkers.


YPIE partners with high school students in Yonkers to ensure they are prepared to succeed in college and make positive change in their communities. During this summer, a group of talented, passionate students was selected to participate in this Y-Zone project to research the digital gaps in downtown Yonkers and make recommendations for Yonkers and similar communities on a national scale.


These YPIE Summer Scholars focused on three areas of importance: education, health, and employment. With the guidance of many partners, including graduate students from Fordham University, they spent several weeks involved in research, data collection, and analysis of how the digital divide impacts their community. They designed their own surveys, conducted in-person interviews, and presented their findings to a large group of students, partners, and community members.


YPIE Scholars look forward to being part of the continued rollout of the Y-Zone this fall, including assisting at distribution events at the Riverfront Library and expanding their research to determine how their findings can enact meaningful change on a local and national scale.
Learn more at yzone.info and ypie.org.

This past year has shined a light on the disparities in digital connectivity, especially for students in communities like Yonkers, many of whom lack access to devices and reliable internet access from home.


As part of a collaborative effort, a group of Yonkers high school students spent their summer conducting in-depth research and making recommendations to address the digital inequities they and their families faced in an even more challenging way during this time.


Earlier this year, Yonkers was selected as one of many communities across the country to address this stark divide. Led by the Westchester County Association and in partnership with the City of Yonkers, STEM Alliance, Fordham University, Westhab, and Yonkers Partners in Education (YPIE), the Y-Zone was created as a pilot program to improve digital connectivity to the community of downtown Yonkers.


YPIE partners with high school students in Yonkers to ensure they are prepared to succeed in college and make positive change in their communities. During this summer, a group of talented, passionate students was selected to participate in this Y-Zone project to research the digital gaps in downtown Yonkers and make recommendations for Yonkers and similar communities on a national scale.


These YPIE Summer Scholars focused on three areas of importance: education, health, and employment. With the guidance of many partners, including graduate students from Fordham University, they spent several weeks involved in research, data collection, and analysis of how the digital divide impacts their community. They designed their own surveys, conducted in-person interviews, and presented their findings to a large group of students, partners, and community members.


YPIE Scholars look forward to being part of the continued rollout of the Y-Zone this fall, including assisting at distribution events at the Riverfront Library and expanding their research to determine how their findings can enact meaningful change on a local and national scale.

 Learn more at ypie.org and yzone.info.