2024-08-29T15:36:26-07:00 2023-12-31 990EZ 2023-01-01 582196046 CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP CENT 4439166836 145 West Ostend Street Suite 600 Baltimore MD 21230 Gerald Johnson Executive Director 4439166836 2024-08-29 1 2023 2024-08-08 14:25:15Z X X X www.center4education.org X X 170424 X 170424 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 170424 0 0 43288 6154 3526 3739 65141 121848 48576 160996 0 209572 160996 209572 0 0 0 0 160996 209572 0 0 160996 209572 VISION Our vision is to address digital inequities that exist especially within the low-income communities of color. MISSION Our mission is to put together a coalition of stakeholders from whom a preponderance of resources would come, hire community-base youth as community advocates who will target digital literacy and inclusion and expand the supply affordable broadband access. Create a community portal "All About Baltimore" that will become the Internet pathway and adoption for low-income families and communities. Westport Academy Connectivity Project Westport-Mt. Winans-Lakeland (W-M-L) Broadband Internet BACKGROUND Problem: The Westport - Mt. Winans - Lakeland Community Service Area (CSA) is a broadband desert. The majority of residents access the Internet via smartphone when they can get a strong wireless connection. Others use a downgraded Internet connection from Cox or satellite connection through Dishnet or Hughesnet. The local elementary/middle school, Westport Academy, WiFi connection is unreliable and unstable. Westport Housing Authority residents are either completely without Internet connectivity or use a variety of very slow Hot Spot connections. Westport-Mt. Winans-Lakeland Broadband Internet Pilot Project We have received a network gap grant from the Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband (OSB) for $250,000 called MD-GAP. We anticipate receiving a matching grant from OSB, for approximately $100,000. The digital inclusion grant, (MD-DIG) should be released soon. Our plan establishes a Point-of-Presence (POP) at Westport Academy elementary/middle school located at the center of town in Westport. We target the 100 homes, as part of our pilot, in the area adjacent to the POP, providing Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) Internet connectivity. Additionally, CEL will expand the Academy Internet capability. Broadband Internet Project Goals 1. Engage the community with Community Associates from YouthWorks. 2. Build a Point-of-Presence (POP) at Westport Academy that will deliver fiber optic broadband to 100 homes at speeds of more than 100 mbps. 3. Expand Westport Academy Digital Access and Internet Support Infrastructure. 4. Develop on the backend a community portal to assure Internet adoption. Community Associates & Digital Inclusion This summer we launched the first phase of the "Community Engagement" project. We collaborated with the Mayor's Office "YouthWorks" Summer Program, employing a dozen youth as Community Associates (CA). Our program engaged local residents, promoting broadband and the Affordable Connectivity Program or ACP. The CA's were based at Westport Academy and trained in non-profit essentials, entrepreneurship, and technology, leading to a Certificate of Completion in Non-profit Essentials. Westport Academy Broadband Connectivity Project Narrative The next phase of the project establishes a Point-of-Presence (POP) or hub at Westport Academy. Our Internet Telcom partner, FiberLight LLC, will build the Internet backhaul to the campus and into a secure location within the school. These costs are covered in the OSB MD-GAP grant. Grant Request Purpose The purpose of this grant request is to enhance Westport Academy Internet and broadband capacity. The grant will support the adoption of new programs that primarily serve immediate student and staff needs and will additionally provide a connectivity resource to the broader community. Our program objectives seek to address the digital inequities of Westport Academy (poor Internet access) while also addressing similar concerns throughout the broader Westport/Mt. Winans/Lakeland communities. We accomplish by establishing a high-speed, fiber-optic broadband presence at Westport Academy that will eventually provide reliable service to W-M-L community. Point-of-Presence (POP) Internet Hub Goal CEL (operating as Data Access One) will allocate funds from MD-GAP Connectivity grant to establish a POP (local Internet hub) at Westport Academy. Our national broadband Internet Telcom partner, FiberLight LLC, will connect the Westport Academy hub to its broadband Internet backhaul. Output We have designated the Westport Academy as the community's anchor institution partner, where the Internet backhaul connection will terminate. We will cross connect to CEL two hubs supplying access to high-speed Internet to the entire Westport/Mt. Winans/Lakeland community and Westport Academy. The Broadband Internet Pilot project targets approximately 108 private residences, and 350 public housing units. Outcome Fiber Broadband Internet Access will become available to 25% of the target 108 residences by December 31, 2022. Of the 25% of homes that have fiber access, 85% of those residents will subscribe to the fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband network. Westport Academy Broadband Connectivity Goal With the Internet POP physically located and secured at Westport Academy, we will distribute the fiber connection to 41 classrooms and offices node locations. This will provide the students, staff and others located on the campus of Westport Academy with high-speed Internet access. Output The Westport Academy will become Fiber Broadband connected and provide 250 students, 40 teachers and staff, digital access to high-speed reliable and stable connections throughout the campus. Outcome Replacing the current WiFi T-Mobile antenna connection with wired high-speed fiber, narrows the "Digital Divide". Westport Academy students and staff will have access to data download/upload speeds not previously accessible to them in the past. Westport Academy Technology Center 2 120000 120000 Gerald Johnson Executive Director 30 43288 0 0 Cynthia Scheree Board Member 5 0 0 0 Wil Carter Board Member 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 MD CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP 145 WEST OSTEND STREET SUITE 600 BALTIMORE MD 21230 4439166836 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NONE NONE 1 X 67995 0 0 183698 170423 422116 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 67995 0 0 183698 170423 422116 0 422116 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 422116 0 X Form 990-EZ, Header, Line A I am attaching a detail listing of the operating expenses. Form 990-EZ, Part I, Line 16 We will attached a income statement which explains all other expenses Form 990-EZ, Part I, Line 20 The second round of funding caused our net assets to climb higher., I was diagnosed with liver cancer in February and have been undergoing intensive chemotherapy treatment. I am the only person (principal salaried employed) who can prepare these documents. I have a unique situation because I am anemic. The chemotherapy pushes my HGB levels that I am hospitalized and given blood transfusions to maintain a healthy red blood cell count. I am closed to being bed ridden.