Students get "high speed" help in Grayson County

A new computer lab opened in Troutdale last month.

February 01, 2012|Elizabeth Harrington | Reporter

TROUTDALE, Va. —

It's easy to take technology for granted these days. Most places have high speed internet.

But not Grayson and Carroll counties. A new program is changing that.

All nine computers were taken Wednesday afternoon at a new center in Troutdale on Grange Hall Road. It opened January 5 and averages 20 users every day. It's open Monday through Saturday.

Children can do schoolwork or play games. Many adults check their emails. It's free high speed internet.

People living in this rural area have dial-up internet at home which can be spotty. The internet access is a big help especially for students.

"There's a lot of kids my age that's just starting in college and they're gonna need it," says Dakota McGrady who takes two online classes through Wytheville Community College, "It's a lot better than dial-up so much faster. I come take a test in 10 minutes instead of like an hour."

The center is also giving store owners more business.

Gerald Anderson makes guitars and most of his orders come through email. He uses the computer center every day because the high speed internet is more reliable than dial-up service.

"Also I use it to order materials, order wood," says Anderson, "Last week I had to order some wood from a company in Oregon some mahogany."

The computer center was opened by a local government agency called the Wired Road. A federal grant of $837,000 dollars pays for the equipment and internet.

The Wired Road hopes the center's success will show it's needed and allow them to secure funding after the two year grant is up.

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