Internet access may seem like a staple at most homes these days, but there are still families that don't have it.

Justin Dawson's family is one of them. Dawson, an East Chapel Hill High School senior, said he's had to ago across town to the library to get homework done.

"It was kind of a hassle for me," said Dawson.

But thanks to a new computer lab the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School district set up at Carolina Apartments where he lives, doing school work just got a lot more convenient.

"It actually helps me out a lot," said Dawson. "Just stay at home, come upstairs to the office and use it."

Renny Johnson, Community Connection Program Manager, said opening the lab is another way to bridge the digital divide. He said it's about helping the students now and also preparing them for the future.

"At the college level, you have to have a laptop in order to metriculate there," said Johnson. "That will eventually trickle down to K-12, everything is going to the digital direction."

The lab will be accessible not only for students who live at Carolina Apartments, but also for students throughout the school district. Johnson said it was an ideal location to launch the project because many students live close by.

"We want to make sure that our students have appropriate, convenient and safe internet access and actually moving it into the community is a way of making that happen," said Johnson.

He said the district hopes to open labs at 17 more locations over the next year. The lab is open for students and residents at Carolina Apartments Monday through Thursday from 2 p.m.-6 p.m.