Surfnet Donates Internet Service to Building Blocks Cooperative Preschool
Building Blocks Cooperative Preschool, located in the picturesque Santa Cruz Mountains, has recently received a generous donation from Surfnet, which includes high-speed wifi access, enabling the school and the Loma Prieta Community Foundation to have a reliable and secure internet connection. The school is headed by Nicole Gomez, who is an enthusiastic and committed Director as well as Lead Teacher. Below, Gomez conveys her gratitude for the contribution made by Surfnet.
“Before Surfnet, we struggled for nearly two years trying to acquire internet access from another provider,” Gomez stated, “and I just want to express how grateful we are for Surfnet’s donation.”
The offering from Surfnet has been instrumental in addressing the lack of internet
access that Building Blocks has faced for many years. Now teachers can easily
access online resources, research learning materials, and communicate with parents in
real time.
“I don’t have to do all of my planning at home anymore, she said, “I can come here in
the morning and write my lesson plans, which is a really big help.”
“We’ve also been able to access the internet during our steering committee meetings,
which makes everything so much easier.” Shared Gomez.
The school employs an online system to manage its paperwork, which can now be
accessed instantly with the help of the internet.
“It makes us feel much better having access to that system in the event of an
emergency, like if a tree came down and blocked Summit Road,” Gomez said.
Within just two weeks of installing wifi access, a series of storms hit the mountain
community, causing almost half of the mountain’s residents to lose wifi and power,
leaving many in the dark.
“People from all over the community came to Building Blocks to use our wifi. We are
incredibly thankful for Surfnet’s support!” Gomez declared.
“During this time we had drainage issues with water seeping into our building,” she
shared, “and I was able to get online and send out a message to the entire community
asking for help, and within minutes we had tons of people here!”
The presence of wifi at the preschool has been influential in bringing parents together.
Now, it’s not uncommon to find parents hanging out at school, dividing their time
between socializing with other parents and using the wifi.
“In the morning, we’ve had parents continue to hang around, and the next thing you
know, you have a social event going on.” Gomez stated, “We’ve been missing that
since the pandemic.”
It is a common sight in the afternoon to see people lounging on the grassy field,
browsing the internet while their children frolic and their dogs run about.
Thanks to wifi, Building Blocks Preschool, and Loma Prieta Community Center have
transformed into a hub of information and resources for families in the area. From
shows in the amphitheater to classes and auctions in the recreation building, all these
activities will continue to be made possible with the availability of wifi.
“This area will also be utilized for a music class in March. It is an incredibly versatile
space,” she shared. “One additional hope is that in the event of a community
emergency, this space could be used as a hub or command center.”
The collaboration between Surfnet, Building Blocks Preschool, and Loma Prieta
Community Foundation is a wonderful example of how local businesses can support
education and community and make a real difference in the lives of young children,
their parents, and teachers.