A remote West Virginia school known as the quietest in America has finally been granted access to Wi-Fi for the first time in its history.
Green Bank Elementary-Middle School is located within the National Radio Quiet Zone and has remained offline for decades.
Its isolation from the internet and essentially the rest of the world was enforced over 50 years ago to shield the groundbreaking scientific research taking place just next door.
But for the first time ever, the tiny school of just 100 students has received long-awaited permission to connect to Wi-Fi and officially step into the modern age once and for all.
‘This is a big, positive change for us,’ Principal Melissa Jordan told Green Bank Observatory.
‘This conversation has been going on for a few years, and it’s finally happening,’ she added.
‘Our students now have the same equal opportunities as the others in the county. We’re really excited to see the ways that this can positively impact student achievement.’
In 1956, the National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory established the country’s first observatory in the heart of the secluded community of Pocahontas County.
Green Bank Elementary-Middle School (pictured), nestled beside the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope located at the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia, has finally been granted access to Wi-Fi for the first time in its history
Its isolation from the internet – and essentially the rest of the world – was enforced over 50 years ago to shield the groundbreaking scientific research taking place just next door (pictured: NSF Green Bank Telescope)
Because Wi-Fi signals use the same radio frequencies as the cosmic waves the telescope listens for, having active Wi-Fi nearby creates interference that drowns out the faint signals from space – making it impossible for scientists to do their work (pictured: scientists at Observatory)
Residents of Green Bank rely on landlines and face-to-face communication, with the surrounding mountains providing natural isolation from the outside world.
Those who live in its secluded landscape often drive over an hour to reach a major grocery store – and even farther for a Walmart, the nearest of which is 50 miles away, turning each shopping trip into a 100-mile journey through rugged mountain terrain.
It was designed to serve as a home base for scientists from across the country, and the Observatory soon became the center of tightly enforced regulations.
Two designated ‘quiet zones’ were soon established, banning both Wi-Fi and cellphones use across vast stretches of surrounding land.
One of the ‘quiet zones’ is the sprawling 13,000-square-mile National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ), which spans large portions of West Virginia and Virginia.
The other, far more restrictive, is the West Virginia Radio Astronomy Zone (WVRAZ), enforcing strict guidelines within a 10-mile radius of the Observatory itself.
Green Bank Elementary-Middle School was founded in part by the Observatory, which also donated land to house the school’s library and sits within the 10-mile zone.
But back then, nobody could have predicted a future where education would depend on invisible signals in the air.
For the first time ever, the tiny school of just 100 students received long-awaited permission to connect to Wi-Fi and officially step into the modern age once and for all
In 1956, the National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory established the country’s first observatory (pictured) in the heart of the secluded community of Pocahontas County
‘When these Quiet Zones were created in the late 1950s, by the Federal Communications Commission and the state of West Virginia, officials could not have predicted the technology using radio wavelengths that are almost an essential part of our daily lives,’ Anthony Remijan, director of the NSF GBO, told the outlet.
The area became even more tightly protected with the construction of the Robert C Byrd Green Bank Telescope between 1990 and 2000.
Its construction cemented the site as an enormous scientific marvel, towering 485 at feet tall with a 100-meter dish to become the largest fully steerable radio telescope on Earth.
Built to study radio waves from deep space, the telescope played a crucial role in groundbreaking discoveries – including detecting low-frequency gravitational waves and unveiling other major astronomical phenomena.
But because Wi-Fi signals use the same radio frequencies as the cosmic waves the telescope listens for, having active Wi-Fi nearby creates interference that drowns out the faint signals from space – making it impossible for scientists to do their work.
Its critical role led the WVRAZ to ban devices that emit signals – like Wi-Fi routers – within the area.
Green Bank quickly became one of the few places on Earth where people weren’t constantly connected.
It evolved into a Mecca for people tired of the modern world and ‘electrosensitive’ individuals who believe they suffer symptoms caused by internet.
Since then, the NSF GBT telescope has continued to operate around the clock, scanning the skies 24 hours a day.
Two designated ‘quiet zones’ were soon established around the Observatory, one of which being the West Virginia Radio Astronomy Zone (WVRAZ), which banned Wi-Fi and cellphones within a 10-mile radius (pictured) of the observatory itself – Green Bank included
Observatory engineers and experts concluded that the best compromise – for the benefit of the local community – was to officially permit limited use of 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, since the band was already compromised by some unregulated signals in the area (pictured: telescope operator in control room)
Regarding the decision, Principal Melissa Jordan (pictured) said: ‘This conversation has been going on for a few years, and it’s finally happening. Our students now have the same equal opportunities as the others in the county’
Yet over time, engineers, scientists, town officials and residents alike came to recognize the need to catch up with the rest of the country.
‘Today, we’re trying to balance our scientific operations with the reality of a world with Wi-Fi,’ Remijan told the Green Bank Observatory.
For years, scientists have struggled against Wi-Fi signals operating at 2.4 GHz – the very same frequency they rely on to detect the faint whispers of the universe, as it’s the most common and affordable band used by everyday routers.
‘Many people who were doing the right thing by not using Wi-Fi were left without access, while others who were illegally using routers did whatever they wanted,’ Remijan explained.
Observatory engineers and experts concluded that the best compromise – for the benefit of the local community – was to officially permit limited use of 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, since the band was already compromised by some unregulated signals in the area.
‘Now, the that benefits everyone and helps us better manage the situation,’ Remijan added.
The decision has been welcomed by West Virginia officials, including Senator Shelley Moore Capito, who praised the Wi-Fi access as ‘a gift of education, inspiration, and knowledge.’
‘Enabling the students this tool to expand their universe is a fitting thing to receive from the Green Bank Observatory,’ Senator Capito told Green Bank Observatory.
Those who live in Green Bank (school pictured) often drive over an hour to reach a major grocery store – and even farther for a Walmart, the nearest of which is 50 miles away, turning each shopping trip into a 100-mile journey through rugged mountain terrain
The decision has been welcomed by West Virginia officials, including Senator Shelley Moore Capito (pictured), who praised the Wi-Fi access as ‘a gift of education, inspiration, and knowledge’
Built to study radio waves from deep space, the telescope (pictured) played a crucial role in groundbreaking discoveries – including detecting low-frequency gravitational waves and unveiling other major astronomical phenomena
‘While GBO studies the stars, I applaud them for their commitment to the neighbors here on earth,’ she added. ‘I hope the students are excited to have the tools to help them become the scientists and explorers of tomorrow.’
Assistant Principal Chloe Shaffner also expressed her support, praising the Observatory as a strong partner that has opened up new experiences for students.
‘Being so close to the Observatory, we’ve had a good partnership that’s brought new opportunities for our students, from field trips, to student contact with the International Space Station, and student science with weather balloons,’ Schaffner said.
‘We have a good partnership, and it’s great that it’s led to this change.’
Principal Melissa Jordan, Assistant Principal Chloe Shaffner and Dr. Leatha Williams – the new superintendent of Pocahontas County Schools – did not immediately respond to Daily Mail for comment.