Donation Gives 3,000 Kids Access to Internet

Nearly 3,000 Pacoima elementary school students will get their first chance to surf the Internet thanks to a local musician and entrepreneur who has donated his time and expertise to hook them up.

Two years ago, Woodland Hills jazz musician and composer Richard Elliot teamed with his friend and tour manager Dave Pennels to start PacificNet, an Internet provider company. Now Elliot is volunteering his services and paying his crew to transform the computer labs at Montague Charter Academy in Pacoima and Pacoima Elementary School into fully equipped Internet learning stations.

On Friday, Elliot and crew member Andrew Conly installed the final connections in the first of Pacoima Elementary’s two computer labs. In addition to the technical assistance, Elliot will offer the schools free Internet connections through his company.

“I think this has special meaning for us because we are doing it in economically challenged areas,” Elliot said. “We are trying to give opportunities to kids who would be hard-pressed to find these opportunities outside of the school setting.”

Pacoima Elementary Principal Larry Gonzalez said that for his school to pay for the services donated by Elliot, other important programs would have had to be cut.

“Public schools don’t always have the funding to take care of everything and stay on top of the latest technology. The cost of meeting the needs of 1,500 students would have been tremendous,” Gonzalez said.

“What [Elliot] is doing is just terrific. He’s helping this entire community get access to the world,” Gonzalez said.

Elliot, a Los Angeles native and graduate of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s University High School, has nine recordings and is frequently heard on local radio.

He performed with the local band Tower of Power for five years and is currently a solo artist signed to Capitol Records’ Blue Note label.

He said his foray into the Internet business has been a welcome diversion from his music career.

“It’s two different hats, that’s for sure. But both are equally rewarding and I love both with equal passion,” he said.