Riverside School District Superintendent Scott Mann, left, was recognized for his work to increase access to high-speed Internet to district residents during a surprise visit to the school Monday by Susie O’Brien, Central Ohio liaison for Secretary of State Frank LaRose. O’Brien presented Mann with a certificate from the Secretary of State recognizing the superintendent’s ingenuity toward making this project a reality. The impetus for the effort began after the district realized the broadband connectivity issues for district residents during the spring 2020 school shutdown and remote learning. Mann networked with technology companies and leveraged the school’s fiber connection to establish Internet hot spots in the area and provide affordable broadband Internet, which has become a model for others to follow across the state. Earlier this year, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria also visited Riverside to learn more about the program. “I want to remove every barrier that our students might experience,” Mann said of the effort. (EXAMINER PHOTO | MANDY LOEHR)