Last Wednesday evening at the Grousbeck Charlestown Boys & Girls Club, 150 teens from Boys & Girls Clubs’s Ready to Work program gathered for what seemed like a creative, hands-on STEM event inspired by the 150th anniversary of the first telephone call, which took place in Boston in 1876. Teens explored antique phones, engaged with interactive exhibits courtesy of the New Hampshire Telephone Museum, and stepped into the story of how one breakthrough moment in Boston helped change the way the world communicates.
As the event unfolded, BGCB Nicholas President and CEO, Robert Lewis Jr., addressed the teens and spoke about Boston’s long legacy of innovation and the promise he sees in the city’s young people today. Then came the surprise: Robert announced that every teen in attendance would receive a laptop, provided by AT&T.
The room erupted in applause. It was the kind of response that says everything. Excitement. Gratitude. Possibility.
When John Emra, President of AT&T Northeast, spoke to the teens, he underscored AT&T’s commitment to connecting young people to greater opportunity and honoring Boston’s place in the story of American innovation. His remarks helped frame the evening not simply as a commemoration of an important historical milestone, but as a reminder that innovation is always about what comes next and who gets the chance to be part of it.
For teens in BGCB’s Ready to Work program, access to technology can open doors in immediate and practical ways. A laptop can support academics, job applications, resume building, career exploration, and the everyday digital skills that are increasingly essential in both school and the workforce. It is not just a device. It is a tool for momentum.
Through career exploration, skill development, and job readiness support, Ready to Work helps teens prepare for what comes after high school with greater confidence and clarity. It is one of the ways BGCB is investing in workforce readiness and helping young people move from potential to pathway.
AT&T has been a valued partner in that work. In recent years, the company has collaborated with BGCB on efforts aimed at closing the digital equity gap, including the launch of New England’s first AT&T Connected Learning Center at BGCB’s Edgerley Family South Boston Club, giving teens free access to computer stations, high-speed Wi-Fi, a podcast studio, and more. Together, that partnership reflects a shared belief that young people deserve not only encouragement, but real access to the tools that help them thrive.
“Tonight made me feel like people really believe in us,” one teen shared. “Getting a laptop like this makes me feel more ready for what’s next.”
