KNOXVILLE, TENN. (RFD-TV) — Reliable internet access could open new educational and career opportunities for rural youth as the University of Tennessee joins a new initiative from 4-H, Tractor Supply Company, and Starlink to expand broadband access in underserved communities.
Dr. Sreedhar Upendram, an associate professor at the University of Tennessee, said the initiative will focus on 10 Tennessee counties, providing internet access and digital literacy training to young people through local 4-H programs.
Connecting Rural Youth to Digital Resources
In his interview with RFD-TV, Upendram said the opportunity came through the National 4-H Council, which encouraged the university’s team to apply.
The initiative is designed to serve rural communities where internet access remains limited or difficult to afford.
“Most of these communities that we picked are digitally disconnected, where access is an issue, trying to get a signal,” Upendram said. “And that’s a challenge. Affordability is also a big issue for most of the folks within these communities.”
He said reliable broadband will help young people participate in educational programming and prepare for opportunities through 4-H.
“Providing broadband internet to these communities would be helpful so that they can actually do some programming, mainly digital literacy,” Upendram said.
He added that students could also use the connectivity to build their portfolios for 4-H events, including state and national congresses.
Starlink Kits and Digital Literacy Training
The initiative combines internet access with hands-on education to help rural youth develop practical online skills.
Upendram said participating 4-H programs will receive Starlink equipment, along with Chromebooks or laptops, while students work through digital literacy curriculum developed by the university.
“We’re grateful for this opportunity because we’ve had this thing going on for a while where we built digital literacy curriculum,” he said.
The curriculum addresses foundational online skills, including cybersecurity, phishing awareness, and safe online behavior.
Upendram said the university is preparing to distribute equipment to participating communities and expand the programming already underway in Decatur County.
“We’re going to go distribute those, provide them with a Chromebook or a laptop, and we’re teaching them curriculum,” he said.
Preparing Students for the Workforce
Upendram said digital literacy is increasingly important as technology becomes part of everyday life and the workplace.
He said the program aims to help young people recognize online risks while developing skills that can support future employment.
“We’re mainly focused on, you know, we see a lot of issues with cybersecurity, how to behave online, giving them those guidelines and helping them prepare for the workforce,” Upendram said.
He said tools like artificial intelligence make digital skills even more important for the next generation.
“Helping our youth develop these skill sets and gainful employment and be safe online in a world where everything is online, making sure they have access to these resources is really huge,” he said.
University of Tennessee Extension Leads Local Efforts
Upendram said the University of Tennessee is excited to participate as one of 10 land-grant universities selected to support the broader initiative.
The university is working with local Extension personnel, including 4-H, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Agriculture and Natural Resources agents, to help deliver the program.
He said the effort builds on the university’s existing work to expand digital literacy and broadband access in rural Tennessee communities.
“We’re excited. We’re grateful for this opportunity,” Upendram said. “We’re excited to kick this off.”
