Calhoun County earns NDIA honor for expanding high-speed internet
Calhoun County has been recognized as a 2025 Digital Inclusion Trailblazer, according to a community announcement.
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) awarded the designation, highlighting the efforts of the Calhoun County Broadband Task Force and Digital Connections Subcommittee to bridge the digital divide.
“Access to high-speed internet is no longer a luxury, but has become essential to economic opportunities, school success, civic participation and quality of life,” Kelli Scott, Calhoun County administrator/controller, said in the announcement. “Being recognized as a Digital Inclusion Trailblazer reflects the hard work of the Task Force and Subcommittee to ensure every resident, regardless of circumstance, has the access, tools and skills needed to thrive in today’s world.”
The path to Trailblazer status
Trailblazers serve as models for other local governments building digital inclusion ecosystems. Calhoun County achieved this status by prioritizing digital inclusion for its residents through several initiatives.
The Calhoun County Broadband Task Force focuses on countywide broadband planning and implementation. Its work includes conducting a community needs assessment, hosting public focus groups, completing a feasibility study, researching and pursuing grant opportunities, and participating in state and federal broadband mapping challenges. The task force also tracks broadband build activity, shares information related to the state’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) planning process, engages with internet service providers and works to ensure that high-speed internet access is expanded throughout the county.
According to the announcement, the Digital Connections Subcommittee continues to focus on access, affordability and digital skills, with an emphasis on residents most at risk of being left behind. This work addresses barriers beyond infrastructure, such as cost, device availability and digital literacy. The subcommittee coordinates with community partners, including libraries and nonprofit organizations, around shared digital equity goals. Results from a community survey, identifying available digital resources including public computers, Wi-Fi access, technical support and digital skills training, are available at calhouncountymi.gov/broadband.
Collaboration is key
Angela Semifero, Marshall District Library director and Calhoun County Digital Connections chair, said that she is grateful for the collaboration fostered by the county’s digital inclusion work.
“I’m grateful that Calhoun County’s digital inclusion work has given local agencies a forum for collaboration, and we will continue to expand digital support services throughout our communities,” Semifero said in the announcement.
This year, Calhoun County joins 58 other Digital Inclusion Trailblazers, paving the way for digitally inclusive communities across the U.S. The Trailblazer program identifies seven categories of current best practices, according to the announcement. Each applicant’s materials are verified for accuracy, assessed for community impact and posted in an interactive map and searchable database on NDIA’s website.
For more information, visit calhouncountymi.gov/broadband.
This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@usatodayco.com with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/.