Company’s support of Stay Plugged In includes sponsorship of inaugural nationwide esports racing league and STEM lab giveaway for North Carolina high schools
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — September 25, 2024 — Today, Brightspeed, one of the nation’s largest fiber broadband builders, announces its support of Stay Plugged In, a premier gaming organization dedicated to offering educational and career opportunities to high school students. Brightspeed will be the presenting sponsor for Stay Plugged In’s inaugural racing league in schools across the U.S. Additionally, Brightspeed is supporting Stay Plugged In’s contest for high schools in Brightspeed’s home state of North Carolina with the opportunity for a school to win the grand prize buildout of a STEM and esports facility at the winning high school.
“At Brightspeed, investing in the communities we serve is an important part of our culture and business strategy,” said Tali Kulbeda, head of local marketing at Brightspeed. “We want to make meaningful impacts to help bridge the digital divide and uplift communities. Our support of Stay Plugged In’s mission of creating opportunities for students to earn college scholarships as well as gain skills through technical education helps develop the next generation of engineers and technicians who can excel in today’s hyper-connected world.”
In November, during the 2024 Stay Plugged In Coca-Cola All Stars, Brightspeed will provide scholarships to two members of the 2024 All-Stars who are selected as Brightspeed Bright Futures Golden Ticket winners — students selected for outstanding achievement in academics, community service and gaming.
In 2025, Stay Plugged In will launch the Brightspeed sponsored inaugural racing league in schools across the nation. Also launching in 2025 is Brightspeed and Stay Plugged In’s STEM lab giveaway for eligible high schools in North Carolina. Registration and other information about these initiatives will be available in January 2025 on the Stay Plugged In website.
“We are excited to work with Brightspeed,” said Rick Suarez, managing director of Stay Plugged In. “Together, we’ll expand CTE (career and technical education) and STEM career opportunities, providing more students with access to high-quality educational resources and cutting-edge technology. Students in member schools in Brightspeed’s service areas will receive a range of benefits including career exploration opportunities and improved access to college scholarships.”
About Brightspeed
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C. and with assets and associated operations in 20 states, Brightspeed provides broadband and telecommunications services through a network platform capable of serving more than 6.5 million homes and businesses. Our 4,000 employees are committed to building a future where more communities benefit from a more connected life, deploying a state-of-the-art fiber network and a customer experience that makes being connected as simple as it should be. For more information, please visit www.brightspeed.com.
About Stay Plugged In
Stay Plugged In is dedicated to creating educational and career opportunities for high school students through esports, CTE, and STEM programs. Established in 2020, Stay Plugged In has been named the leading esports recruiting platform in the US for three consecutive years, generating more than $40 million in scholarship benefits for its student members. Stay Plugged In is dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for students of all levels, enabling growth, learning and community through gaming.
