2024-05-07T03:58:27-04:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/150196267/california-s-quattrocchi-kwok-architects-helps-bring-broadband-internet-to-rural-students-amid-covid-19 Sean Joyner 2020-05-05T12:36:00-04:00 >2020-05-05T15:00:35-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/82/8246c8cd3e91fd737d83a7e58932aaa4.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>When Santa Rosa-based&nbsp;<a href="https://archinect.com/quattrocchikwokarchitects" target="_blank">Quattrocchi Kwok Architects</a> (QKA) heard a <a href="https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/10885373-181/digital-divide-leaves-rural-and" target="_blank">local call to action</a> to help economically disadvantaged schools in Sonoma County facilitate distance learning, they answered the call. Due to COVID-19 many of the underprivileged students in the area lacked the basic resources needed to continue their education online.</p> <p>QKA has so far provided 60 Wifi hotspots to families without internet access, 350 reams of copy paper, and monetary contributions to the <a href="https://www.roselandsd.org/District/Department/90-ways-to-give/6258-Family-Food-Relief-Fund.html" target="_blank">Roseland Public School's Family Relief Fund</a> to help feed families in need. The firm specializes in education design and co-founder and Principal Mark&nbsp;Quattrocchi, FAIA, personally reached out to school across Sonoma County and Lake County to see how he could help.&nbsp;</p> <p>"Listening to their stories of material shortages is heart-wrenching, as we see up close the uneven playing field these disadvantaged schools experience &mdash; from no laptops, to laptops but no Wi-Fi, and to Wi-Fi &ldquo;hotspots&rdquo; but no cell coverage,"&nbsp;<a href="http://www.qka.com/news/2014/11/05/bridging-gap-addressing-equity-distance-learning" target="_blank">Quattrocchi wrot...</a></p> https://archinect.com/news/article/150194986/pratt-school-of-architecture-to-offer-free-continuing-education-courses-online Sean Joyner 2020-04-24T18:14:00-04:00 >2020-05-03T11:46:04-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/25/25b5764e2d755ac0cc303818da26e8b2.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>In response to COVID-19, the <a href="https://archinect.com/schools/cover/72600/pratt-institute" target="_blank">Pratt Institute School of Architecture</a> is partnering with AIA Brooklyn to offer four free AIA-accredited continuing education courses. The course offerings are due to launch on April 29th and will offer "dialogue on current topics like affordable housing during a pandemic as well as in-demand technical training."</p> <p>"Our intention is to show our solidarity with our extended architecture community by offering free classes to professionals that can be accessed remotely," said <a href="https://archinect.com/features/article/150142013/deans-list-pratt-s-dr-harriet-harriss-on-academia-s-role-in-preparing-architects-of-the-future" target="_blank">Harriet Harriss</a>, dean of the School of Architecture, in a statement. "Thanks to our partnership with AIA Brooklyn, architects can earn the vital credits they need to complete the CPD requirements necessary to maintain registration."</p> <p>Moreover, Marshal Shuster,&nbsp;director of continuing education at AIA Brooklyn expressed the organization's commitment to advancing the profession through this pandemic and beyond. The course offerings have been dubbed the "Executive Education Series" and focus ...</p>