Peachtree – The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded a $499,000 federal grant to connect 17 school sites in Cherokee County, Cleveland, Tenn., and Towns and Union counties in Georgia.
The audio-visual equipment allows the schools to network with each other in both educational and health services.
A ceremonial document signing was held Thursday at the Schools of Innovation & Technology that included representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Congress, Senate and local government.
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Representatives from Towns and Union counties and Cleveland, Tenn., planned to attend but were thwarted by the weather.
The USDA Distance Learning Telemedicine Grant allows the schools to provide students and their families with access to medical professionals, therapists and counselors for mental health and counseling services.
“The investment into the Cherokee County school system will benefit rural citizens in three states,” said Reginald Speight, North Carolina state director for the USDA.
“Today is unique. Mental health has no borders, and this investment will assist rural communities in North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee address some medical needs without the burden of possibly having to drive 100 miles for care.”
The investment will benefit an estimated 22,875 rural citizens.
The process to secure the grant started with a locally generated grant application in spring 2023, Cherokee Schools Superintendent Keevin Woody said.
While the program aims to provide telehealth services, schools plan to also use the technology for classroom-to-classroom connectivity inside campus, with other campuses in Cherokee County as well as with campuses in Georgia and Tennessee.
The USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas, according to a USDA release.
The assistance supports infrastructure improvements, business development, housing, community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care. It also provides high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas.