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ASO Wins Dell Foundation ‘Connected Community’ Grant

January 13, 2009
  • Contact: Don Hill - Director of Public Relations - (512) 476-6064

The Dell Foundation today announced the awarding of “Connected Community” grants to 26 organizations in four states—Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma and North Carolina—where significant numbers of Dell employees live and work. The Austin Symphony Orchestra is among those awarded grants, in support of its “Chat with the Maestro” chat room that allows children from underserved elementary schools in the Austin area to chat directly with Maestro Peter Bay in an informative 30 minutes of computer time, learning about music while honing their computer skills. The Austin Symphony is the only symphony in the country with a chatroom program. “We have been very fortunate to be a recipient of the Dell “Connected Community” grant,” said Diana Eblen, Director of Education for the Austin Symphony. “With these funds, we have been able to continue our mission of reaching every young person in the Central Texas area, piquing their interest in classical symphonic music and education.”

The two-year $50,000 grants support innovative and collaborative initiatives that address technology access and training for youth, fundamental requirements for success in the digital economy. The grants support a range of programs, including those that narrow the digital divide for low-income and at-risk youth by increasing community and home-based access to technology. “It’s no secret that technology access and skill are vitally important to employment in today’s global economy,” said Lisa Huddleson, Executive Director of the Dell Foundation. “We are honored to lend our support to organizations that are effectively addressing this need in Dell communities.”

The Dell Foundation and the Austin Symphony: two Austin originals working together to promote music education and computer skills.