Shure, headquartered in Niles, IL, has stepped up to help its neighbors by donating $79,000 worth of SE215 Sound Isolating earphones to students and teachers in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system.
The earphones are compatible with mobile phones and laptops to enable more focused learning for those who may encounter distracting noise or difficulties in hearing online lessons at home. SE215 earphones are designed to help eliminate noise and to be comfortable for extended wear.
An inline mic provides audio for two-way communication between students and teachers. Select Chicago Public Schools on the South, West, and North sides of Chicago have received the earphones to distribute to those who need them.
“Once schools were closed, teachers, staff, and administrators were forced to move toward a new normal by having students and teachers use online learning tools like Google Hangouts,” says Jeffrey Finelli, principal at Edison Park Elementary School. “Shure made a donation specifically for families who were not fortunate enough to have the proper tools to help their child learn effectively at home. It made a world of difference for so many families. Students are now not distracted when they are participating in the live video conferences and able to communicate with their classmates. This was not possible before Shure made their generous donation.”
This is one of several initiatives Shure has embarked on in response to COVID-19 to help people in the communities where the company is based. Shure has donated N95 masks to a Chicago-area hospital; provided support for the Chicago Independent Venue League, a collection of more than 20 music halls and performance venues; and made a corporate donation to Direct Relief, an organization working with authorities to provide personal protective equipment (PPEs) to health care workers in affected regions of the world.
“We’re pleased to lend our support to CPS students and educators during this challenging and unprecedented time,” said Mark Brunner, vice president of Global Corporate and Government Relations at Shure. “This significant need for online learning tools presented an opportunity for Shure to fulfill what we consider to be a vital part of our corporate responsibility to our community.”
