Access to the internet has become essential for education, but students and teachers in rural areas, often have very limited connectivity. Starlink has brought high-speed connectivity to thousands of students, opening up a world of possibility for the students in these communities.

At the Navajo Nation’s Ojo Encino Pre-School in New Mexico, Starlink enabled teachers to access learning materials, conduct virtual lessons with students at homes, and provide students with online learning tools in the classroom. While teachers had previously struggled to stream virtual lessons on a single computer in the school, with Starlink they were able to connect over a dozen devices simultaneously for streaming, uploading and downloading files, and using their learning portals.

In the rural community of Mist, Oregon, Starlink helped students at the Mist Grade School access valuable online education tools. Teachers at Mist are now able to access education tools that wouldn’t function with the slow and unreliable connection previously used. Though the Vernonia School District had made efforts to secure higher-speed connections, none were feasible due to the high costs of running a dedicated connection miles down rural roads. By making high-speed, low-latency internet available in this rural area, Starlink has transformed the educational experience in Mist:

Aaron Miller, Superintendent of the Vernonia School District said: ““This school went from slow, ineffective connectivity for even 2-3 computer stations, to having high speed internet where all 36 of our children can have effective internet connectivity simultaneously. It has been a class-changing event for our teachers and students.”

Internet access in the classroom is important, but students also need connectivity in their homes in order to do research, complete assignments, and attend online classes – yet two-thirds of children and young people don’t have internet access at home. For this reason, once Starlink proved so successful in the classroom at Ojo Encino Pre-School, the Cuba Independent School district decided to purchase Starlink connectivity for over 300 student homes, most of which are located on the Navajo Nation Reservation, where no cellular service exists. Feedback from teachers and students reveals the impact Starlink has had on the Ojo Encino community:

“Students who have received the service have reported that they can finally get on a full [virtual] class from home, without any interruptions, and they are seeing speeds faster than anything they have ever seen at home. In addition, several homes have several students who need to go online at the same time, which was impossible before Starlink.”

The Cherokee Nation has also utilized Starlink to connect tribe members in rural Oklahoma. Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. emphasized the vital role of connectivity in facilitating education and setting communities up for success:

“Every kid, every Cherokee kid that grows up, I don't care where they grow up, they shouldn't have a disadvantage when it comes to something that's as basic anymore as getting online and getting an education, getting a job.”