Consolidated Communications : Eastern Illinois Education for Employment Awarded Grant from Consolidated Communications to Support ClassE program

School receives $5,000 from Consolidated Connects Educational Grant Program

MATTOON, Ill. - May 10, 2024 - Eastern Illinois Education for Employment #340 has been awarded a $5,000 grant to support its entrepreneurship program from Consolidated Communication's Consolidated Connects Educational Grant Program. The grant from Consolidated will enhance technology available to students in the Coles County Entrepreneurship Class (ClassE), a regional entrepreneurship program serving high school students from Charleston, Mattoon, Oakland and homeschooled students.

A work-based learning experience, ClassE is an immersive program that allows students to work alongside and learn directly from businesses owners and leaders throughout the community while earning high school and college credit. With the guidance from community mentors, ClassE students learn about the various aspects of running a business and work together to run a class business that raises funds to support the start-up costs of each student's business created as part of the class.

"The students of Coles County Entrepreneurship Class would once again like to thank Consolidated Communications for investing in their futures," said Vinnie Walk, teacher of ClassE. "This grant will support the addition of a Glowforge laser printer to the Maker Space within the Elevate CCIC Center to support the learning of regional entrepreneurship students in ClassE this year and into the future. Through this investment by Consolidated Communications the young entrepreneurs of ClassE can better transform their ideas into physical objects to share, test and perfect. The students will have a greater ability to create products and learn skills that they can build future businesses and careers around."

"For students across Coles County this is truly an amazing program, and Consolidated Communications is proud to be supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs in our community," said Sarah Grieder, senior communications manager at Consolidated. "Consolidated is committed to making our communities strong through support of education initiatives like ClassE, allowing students to learn, grow and thrive."

The Consolidated Connects Educational Grant Program funds K-12 schools within the company's service area that provide innovative, technology-focused learning programs to advance creative student learning, develop 21st century skills and promote critical thinking. Since 2021, the program has granted more than $160,000 to 52 schools, impacting more than 14,500 students in the company's service area.

About Eastern Illinois Education for Employment System
The Eastern Illinois Education for Employment System is a consortium of 25 school districts collaborating to update and upgrade Career and Technical Education programs in East Central Illinois. Our office supports students and educators by assisting with improvements to CTE classrooms, creating career awareness, offering professional development, and hosting regional programs like ClassE. By partnering with local educational consortiums, community colleges, workforce organizations, and business leaders, we strive to support employment needs and connect students. We advocate for local and state CTE improvements to keep hands-on learning in the spotlight and serve as a liaison between industry partners and educators.

About Consolidated Communications
Consolidated Communications Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNSL) is dedicated to moving people, businesses and communities forward by delivering the most reliable fiber communications solutions. Consumers, businesses and wireless and wireline carriers depend on Consolidated for a wide range of high-speed internet, data, phone, security, cloud and wholesale carrier solutions. With a network spanning more than 60,000 fiber route miles, Consolidated is a top 10 U.S. fiber provider, turning technology into solutions that are backed by exceptional customer support.