Transmission Project

Other ongoing projects that Abby was crucial to the success of included:

- “Project Safe Neighborhoods” (U.S. Department of Justice) in which Abby facilitated the efforts of local youths at neighborhood associations and community centers in writing, shooting, performing, and editing their own Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on the subject of gun violence prevention.

- Wedgwood Christian Services of West Michigan. Similar to PSN, the Wedgwood project involved providing at-risk teens with the tools, training, and means of transmission to create their own mini documentaries and PSAs focusing on substance abuse prevention.

Both of these long term projects have been very successful due in large part to Abby’s commitment, diligence, professionalism, expertise, and willingness to work with at risk teens.

Abby’s final, and perhaps most lasting project, done in conjunction with previous VISTA/Americorps volunteers Laura Craig-Bennett, Amy McKenzie, and Jennifer Harris, has been the editing of a four-episode series of documentaries entitled “Girls to Governors” which commemorates the role of Michigan women in politics. Funded locally by the Nokomis foundation of Grand Rapids, the VISTA/Americorps producers of “Girls to Governors” seized upon the election in 2001 of Michigan’s first female governor, to examine the emerging role of women in local, state, and national politics and public service.

The editing of this series was the capstone event in and outstanding year of service provided by VISTA volunteer Abby Balazs. The VISTA program should be very proud to have Abby as an alumnae just as we are proud to have had her as an employee and team mate.

Our project to date has had good results, we finished last years with the Bridges to Digital Excellence (BDE) program donating 742 total computers and training to students in grades three through eight. As of today we are at 793 Families that have completed our program. Becky has done a good job of running operations for the Computers in the Home part of BDE.

As of the beginning of this year’s program which started the last week of February Becky has managed all aspects of the program except purchasing of computers. As I did when we first started the BDE program there were some bumps in the road but things came together. The same has happed with Becky leading the Computers In the Home program now. I have full confidence in her abilities to continue the excellence and maintain standards that we strive for. Our one outlying goal is to have the program we put on compete with the best programs in the world. To my knowledge there is not another program in the country that is striving to bridge the digital divide as quickly and efficiently as this program is. We are estimating that by the end of next year every child across Berrien County in grades three through eight will have a computer in their home. We know that with the 793 families that have completed the program we have had 1586 people in the program and that more than 3000 individuals have been indirectly affected by the BDE program providing technology to so many homes. We want to see Becky continue to take advantage of the wealth of passion for the work we do. At our monthly steering committee meetings she gets to sit with the upper level IT management from almost every major employer in our community. She has been exposed to a brainstorming technique that was developed by Whirlpool Corp. called an “Ideation Session” and how it can be used to expel ideas from a group that are there but people just don’t realize. Becky also worked on a project for a development company; she wrote a proposal for a local art house to integrate technology into storytelling.

In her second year, Becky has effectively taken on all operations of the computers in the home program and is doing a good job running the program. We are looking forward to reaching our 1000th family by the end of 2005.

As an Americorps Vista volunteer, Shlonda has supported and enhanced four Durham County Literacy Council (DCLC) projects; the Parent’s Part Family Literacy Project, Techcelerated Pre-GED and GED, PC Basics, English as a Second Language and has gained valuable experience as a teacher and trainer. She has recruited and trained volunteers to teach or assist in all projects. The VISTA has maintained a working relationship with partner sites CET, NCCU and the YMCA.

Shlonda successfully taught Parents’ Part in Cornwallis Road public housing neighborhood in Durham, NC.

At the Durham Literacy Council’s main office, Shlonda taught students by using technology-assisted GED software.

As a tutor Shlonda has taught ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes, which includes creating lesson plans, leading small group conversations and trained new tutors to teach the traditional and computer-assisted ESL software.

Shlonda has been instrumental in establishing and maintaining an after school program for Kestrel Heights Charter School.

Shlonda has improved technical support at the Literacy Council, Kestrel Heights Charter School and assisted in maintaining and installing computers in all labs.

Career Passport is a portfolio or notebook containing documents certifying you have met specific academic and workplace standards. The latest implementation is the Internet career interest/personality inventory. Shlonda is the field test manager of this project and has successful coached 4 individuals in completing their portfolio. Shlonda expanded upon DLC’s Career Passport by initiating mini-workshops with focus areas such as “Preparing for the Job Interview.” The project is now nationally recognized and endorsed by the Literacy Volunteers of America. The Career Passport can be found on the LVA’s Promising Practice website.

Sharon has shown only the utmost dedication to the Cyber Y and has helped nurture our afterschool programming into a highly successful and sought after community afterschool option for our neighborhood. The first class was an overwhelming success with high retention and participation from our local 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. This semester we added one day of programming and now offer Cyber Y afterschool for 3rd and 4th together and a separate class for the 5th graders.

In addition, Sharon has also worked closely with the Cyber Seniors class that meets once a week and provides ongoing instruction support and recruitment for the class. She also developed an open access time one morning a week in order to provide additional out of class time to participants to have more computer usage time. Starting with only a couple of attendees, word of mouth has quickly filled up this morning time.

In August 2002, Kristin assisted the organization and youth in preparation for its Street-to-Street block party/media installation event by co-designing an installation with Street-Level’s Girls Group participants, and co-producing two video pieces for Street-Level’s outdoor public broadcast/performance of youth media work in September 2002.

During the fall of 2002, Kristin accompanied staff and youth representatives to the National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture conference in Seattle, WA, and worked with staff to develop a searchable database for our collection of youth videos, as well as create a system for the management and tracking of videos distributed to film festivals and screenings.

Karen “Cookie” Sheers has provided amazing service to our Technology Goes Home program. She has been very organized and proactive. When I originally started my position in May 2003, Cookie informed me that our Alumni Committee was inactive. However she stated that she wanted to work hard to build the alumni committee and get it up and running. Originally out of the 86 families that graduated from this program, less than 2% remained in touch. To date, we have had a 10% increase in participants. This is partly attributed to Cookie placing personal telephone calls, and sending out personal letters to the families.

Cookie also has a childcare background and she is a very outgoing person. As a result many parents approached her regarding an after school program. It is because of her sharing their concerns with us that the Y.E.S program was developed and Cookie is taking the lead on this project. She is a tremendous asset to Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation.

Our CTC classes ended with a great joy. Four of our citizenship students passed the test while two failed, and five students are waiting for their appointment. However with very limit number of computers and Internet, we were able to put together a fun computer class for all 20 adult students. These 20 students are now ready to type letter using Microsoft Word. Using all the skills they learned they are able to create letters, resumes, tables, and flyers. Only few of the older students are having problems remembering basic skills such as opening and saving files in Microsoft Word. Although most of the computers in the center are old, we were able to have at least 3 computers with Internet access. With great help from our volunteers, one on one tutor is so effective in teaching Internet skills to these students. More than half of these students are now getting online chatting with relatives in Vietnam and setting up email accounts. All of the ESL students are still shy to talk in English especially complete Standard English.

Kim Oanh has played a strong role in organizing and coordinating community events for BPSOS. She was a tremendous help in the coordination of various workshops that we have held throughout the year, the largest workshop which is a collaboration of 4 different ethnic groups (Vietnamese, Korean, Latinos and Muslims) on domestic violence which had an attendance of 300 people.

Kim-Oanh has coordinated and organized activities for youth at the Moon Festival. For youth and Senior Citizen at the Lunar New Year Festival at Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland. These holidays symbolize the heritage, culture, and life of the Vietnamese people.

She also organized the Carry Day for youths. She invited six speakers, she contact with 100 students and parents came that day.

Between the months of September and December, I worked with my fellow VISTA, Co Kim Oanh, and my supervisor, Bach Pham, to reaffirm community contacts by recruiting volunteers, outreaching to prospective clients, and acquiring space for a CTC. While Bach worked with BPSOS’s IT guy to acquire computers, I focused on recruiting volunteers to teach a series of Computer Literacy/ESL classes to current BPSOS clients. Through websites and phone calls, we recruited a small group of 4-5 volunteers that agreed to teach ESL/Computer Literacy combo classes.

During her term, Charlena researched three online volunteer management programs and posted volunteer position descriptions. Charlena organized activities for the Black Family Technology Awareness Week, which consisted of three days of workshops focusing on family, technology, and financial stability. She developed, coordinated, and managed the workshops.

Charlena met with World Vision, First Baptist Church staff and Middle School Youth Rep. to develop and implement an ongoing student recruit drive.

She provided assistance to business center users and provides technical assistance to the church, its members, and the community.

She has developed procedures for an after-school program.

She developed the FBC Computer C.A.F.E. website (http://fchurch.org/cafe/index.shtml).