BEDMINSTER, New Jersey - Over 4000 Latino youths in the New York metropolitan area will get high-speed Internet access and training on the latest computers.

The ASPIRA Association received a two-year $225,000 grant from the AT&T Foundation to establish two community technology centers in the Bronx, NY and Bridgeport, CT. Since 1999, AT&T has outfitted 13 community centers in major-market cities with the latest computer technologies. ASPIRA has received over half-a-million dollars in grants from AT&T, eight of which went to Latino centers in New York and New Jersey urban areas.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Latino youths lag behind other ethnic groups in Internet usage, both in North America and worldwide. Less than 9.5 million of 35 million Hispanic households in the U.S. had Internet access in 2000, compared with 54 million total U.S. households.

"High-speed Internet access makes learning fun," said Roberto Cruz, director of Corporate Affairs, AT&T. "That's why these community technology centers are so important to Latino kids. They get them hooked on new technology tools that enhance their regular school education."

"We've found that the school retention rate of kids who have Internet access to be much higher than those who don't," said Ronald Blackburn-Moreno, president and CEO of ASPIRA. "AT&T's grants provide underserved Latino youths with new skills and greater opportunities in school and eventually the workplace."

ASPIRA is the only national organization dedicated to the education and leadership development of Latino youth. Founded in New York City in 1961, ASPIRA currently operates in six states and Puerto Rico, serving over 35,000 students each year providing leadership development through the ASPIRA Clubs in schools, educational enrichment programs, community service initiatives and guidance counseling. Over 95% of ASPIRANTES (ASPIRA youth) complete high school and 90% go on to college. Some of the most prominent Latino leaders in the country have been ASPIRANTES. ASPIRA is supported by grants from federal and local government as well as foundations and corporations. With a budget of over $36 million per year, ASPIRA is the largest national Latino organization in the United States. Additional information is available at www. Aspira.org.

The AT&T Foundation invests globally in projects that address a range of public concerns. In education, emphasis is on the use of technology to facilitate learning, narrow the digital divide and provide new opportunities in the workplace. AT&T supports education through its business, its philanthropy and its people. Since 1984, the company has invested more than $600 million in cash and in-kind support of education. Currently, more than half of AT&T's contribution dollars, employee volunteer time and community service activities are directed toward education.

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