Few issues are more important to our customers and to the communities we serve than education. That's why the cornerstone of our public service efforts has been to deliver the power of cable television technology and programming to schools at no charge.
In The Classroom
Because of this commitment to education, innovative cable products and services - cable programming, High Speed Online access, equipment and training materials - are giving teachers and students the tools they need to break down the walls of the classroom and enhance the learning experience. And since Time Warner Cable has an extensive grassroots network - we serve approximately 14.4 million customers across 33 states - we're able to assess local needs and target our resources appropriately. Schools get the technology, programming and resources they need, where and when they need them.
Time Warner Cable offers free cable television service to all public and private K-12 schools in our service areas. To date, over 14,000 of those schools are connected, making it possible for more than eight million students to receive hundreds of hours of quality, commercial-free educational programming every month.
When Time Warner Cable expanded this educational commitment to include High Speed Online service, the rest of the cable industry followed by establishing Cable's High Speed Education Connection. Time Warner Cable took it a step further by developing and distributing free training materials to help teachers better integrate these new technological resources.
Outside The Classroom
Recognizing the need to expand access to these resources beyond the classroom, we have been offering a free cable modem and High Speed Online service to public libraries. Working with national and local partners, the company also provides free Road Runner service to select community centers as well.
Beyond cable products and services, Time Warner Cable employees also play a critical role in making our commitment to education a reality. Thousands of company and community volunteers participate as tutors and mentors in Time Warner Cable’s Time To Read program, the nation's largest corporate-sponsored volunteer literacy program. Time To Read volunteers are trained to help improve literacy skills, but they also serve as positive role models for participating children and adults, often forming close bonds that last for many years.
To support and recognize exceptional educational efforts, some Time Warner Cable divisions sponsor Star Teacher Awards, where students nominate those educators who have had a positive impact on their lives. Others conduct local teacher awards. And each year, Time Warner Cable honors classroom projects and the teachers who develop them with the Time Warner Cable National Teacher Awards. Winners receive a cash award and a crystal apple sculpture at a gala awards ceremony each spring in Washington, DC.
To fully integrate the free resources we provide, we work closely with cable program networks to develop projects that address our educational commitment. Notable examples have been KnowTV, a media literacy workshop for teachers and parents in conjunction with The Learning Channel; Start Smart, a joint production with Bravo to raise awareness about the importance of arts education; and The Common Good, produced in partnership with C-SPAN, which challenged high school students to demonstrate their understanding of and appreciation for the importance of public service. Other projects, such as VH1's Save the Music and ESPN's Espy Essay Contest, had their inception with Time Warner Cable before expanding to the entire cable industry.
Time Warner Cable believes that helping teachers and students stay on top of today's rapidly changing technology is one of the most meaningful ways we can support the communities we serve. Through our grassroots network, we can reach children directly and have a positive effect on the quality of their learning experience. At Time Warner Cable, we look forward to building on this educational commitment in the years ahead.
