Connect2Compete

Now more than ever, technology is a crucial part of day-to-day life. We use the internet for everything from sending an email, to buying household goods, to staying informed or entertained. Despite this, approximately one in three Louisiana residents does not have a home internet connection. This can be particularly difficult for students, who often rely on the internet for homework assignments and keeping up with their peers. Cox Communications, which is sponsoring FifoCon’s Day of Discovery, hopes to bridge the gap for those students whose families cannot afford internet access with their Connect2Compete initiative.

Connect2Compete allows families with K-12 students who qualify for free or reduced lunch or live in public housing to receive high-speed internet service with no price increases, activation fees, or equipment rental fees for only $9.95 per month. More than a quarter million people have benefitted from C2C since its inception in 2012. “According to a 2015 Cox survey, more than half of students are more interested in school and have improved grades after enrolling in Connect2Compete,” said Sharon Truxillo, Public Affairs Manager for Cox Communications in Baton Rouge.

Thanks to this nonprofit initiative and Cox’s sponsorship of the Day of Discovery at FifoCon, students interested in science and technology fields they would not have otherwise had the means to explore are now able to pursue their dreams. “As a major telecommunications provider and employer in the area, Cox understands the role science and technology plays in making people’s lives safer, easier and more efficient,” said Truxillo. “Day of Discovery encourages our students with real life applications of STEM/STEAM curricula as well as examples of super cool and creative technology-centered industries. FifoCon demonstrates that science and technology can be fun and exciting.”