spanish language
Youth Media Program Development
Organization:
Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA) VISTA Name:
Kevin O'Brien
Program Start:
8/2003
Program End:
8/2004
Project Description:
Kevin further developed a youth web magazine project based on the project that CTC VISTA Alison Hale had started the year before. The name of the project is: Teen Limitz. Here youth participants wrote stories, took pictures, and learned many skills: Web publishing, Design, Macromedia Dreamweaver, HTML, Flash, and Adobe Photoshop. Kevin also taught a web design class for adults in both English and Spanish at the Center.
Kevin is to provide tech support to residents in the Villa Victoria neighborhood that were given computers through IBA’s computer donation program. He has made over 50 visits to fix software and hardware problems. He also developed a training manual to help residents learn about providing Tech Support. The guide addresses all the common problems that residents face and shows how to fix them. This guide is available online: http://www.iba-etc.org/tl/supporttraining.doc (29 MB)
Project Outcome:
Kevin successfully recruiting the three teens that had previously worked with Alison. He then taught them how to build their own webpages and link them together. He helped them with their writing and editing. By working with WiredWoods, he was able to get help with the curriculum development and tracking as well as get digital cameras loaned to the program.
The teens can now say with confidence that they know how to develop and maintain a complete website. They can also build their own pages, and enter into more advanced training programs. This could potentially be a way for these kids to find high-paying jobs.
Kevin also taught a dozen adults how to make their own pages. They were excited to learn and help each other learn.
Kevin was very patient and understanding with the residents. On each of the site visits to fix residents’ computers, I heard that he took time to teach residents about the computers and encourage them to take more classes.
Impact Quote:
“I was impressed with Kevin’s persistence and dedication to the project. He would knock on their [teen volunteers’] doors if they were late and work around their schedule to get things done. By the time Kevin left, I felt the teens had gotten a valuable experience from him.”
- Kimberly Lopez, supervisor
CTC Program Building
Organization:
Technology for All VISTA Name:
Hilda Puente
Program Start:
8/2003
Program End:
8/2004
Project Description:
Hilda Puente has been involved in capacity building with TFA’s Mission Milby Community Technology Center (MMCTC) and with our work with Houston area CTCs. Hilda’s involvement with MMCTC has centered around the development of the Learn and Earn a computer program with students from Milby High School. Students from Milby High School participating in MMCTC programs are able to “learn and earn” a computer. The program has allowed 40 students to receive computers for use in their homes.
Three classes of students (10-15 in each class) have participated in this program that was created in collaboration with Pete Rodriguez, another CTCVista with TFA. In addition, Hilda has been significantly involved in developing supportive relationships with the 180 plus community organizations with CTCs across Houston that we work with. This has been a significant capacity building activity.
Hilda’s major objective was to help strengthen relationships with TFA CTCs in the Houston area. Hilda is a person who identifies a task and works at that task until it is accomplished.
Her work always proved to be more than adequate, and she was always conscious of the need to complete her tasks in a timely manner. Near the end of the summer when she began taking a preparatory course for graduate school, Hilda seemed to lose focus on her TFA responsibilities. She enrolled in the class without her supervisor’s knowledge. A scheduling conflict with the class caused Hilda to miss the CTCNet conference.
Project Outcome:
Hilda Puente’s year of service with Technology For All was a positive and growing experience for both Hilda and TFA. She helped build and strengthen relationships with many of our CTCs, which accomplished her goals.
CTC Assistance
Organization:
Open Spaces CTC VISTA Name:
Ethan Molitch-Hou
Program Start:
8/2003
Program End:
8/2004
Project Description:
The first half of Ethan’s term was spent generating community interest in learning technology and helping community members develop the confidence to learn more. The second half of the term was focused on expanding that interest to self-study and home use, and to continue the access to learning. During the course of the year, over 130 users were involved in introductory computer classes, logging roughly 1400 user hours. Among other things, these classes built community capacity, a cadre of volunteers, and led Big Bend Community College (BBCC) to develop partnerships and open new computer labs in Mattawa and Royal City.
Ethan visited a CTC nearby in Kennewick that worked on getting refurbished computers into the homes. They taught him that labs were not enough to get sufficient technology access to our students on a more consistent basis and that real progress for most students was dependent on there being computers in the home. The RECA Foundation in Kennewick became our resource for refurbished computers. Ethan was able to get computers into many of the students’ homes in Royal City and Mattawa. The computers are geared more towards families and give kids a basis for learning. They have security in place to prevent major problems from occurring to the operating system. The major drawback with these computers is that they do not allow changes to the system and are not configured for use of the Internet. However, as a beginning computer for families, they are perfect because they aren’t susceptible to viruses; as students become more comfortable with the computers, they can later invest in one that is Internet-ready. In the meantime, Internet access and ESL software remains available in the community labs.
Project Outcome:
Ethan helped bring much needed training to four very small rural communities in Central Washington. Bi-lingual computer training was made available to hundreds of predominantly monolingual Spanish-speaking Hispanic agricultural workers and their families. Students were able to take advantage of their abilities to learn the technology quickly, accessing information as well as learning ESL and other skills. Young and old were able to learn together and the volunteer base grew. As more and more young students begin coming in, we are able to take advantage of their abilities to learn the technology quickly. We allowed them to teach each other as they naturally seemed to do. The labs in Mattawa and Royal City developed a sense of community, as people of all ages worked simultaneously and without fear in asking for help from one another.
The development of skills and confidence that was nurtured in the community labs led to more individual commitment to purchase computers for home use. As a result, these communities not only have new community labs, but a group of adults and children who are able to continue to deepen their knowledge and use of computers at home.
Wireless Network Installation and Community Outreach
Organization:
Technology for All VISTA Name:
James Carlson
Program Start:
6/2006
Program End:
6/2007
Project Description:
James worked for Technology For All in our TFA-Wireless social enterprise. TFA-Wireless is a joint research project with TFA and Rice University. The network provides free wireless internet to low income under resourced community in South East Houston. His efforts were focused in the area of community wireless networking with primary areas of responsibility covering implementation, administration and expansion of a multi-node wireless mesh network providing covering 3 Sq Km.
Project Outcome:
As a graduate Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech the technical requirements of his position were quickly mastered. In addition to the technical aspects of the project James had worked in the area of community engagement as a regular as part of his responsibilities. The community is primarily Latino, many of which are recent or first generation immigrants. The biggest hurdle for James in this area was the language barrier as James was not conversational in Spanish. The opportunity and challenges in this type of research network abound. Regardless of these challenges, James was highly successful in increasing the range and scope of services we can offer the residents of these areas and his presence will be missed from both in the interpersonal arena as well as his technical proficiency.
CTC Program Building
Organization:
Big Bend Community College VISTA Name:
Victoria Bravo
Program Start:
9/2004
Program End:
9/2005
Project Description:
Victoria concentrated efforts this year on stabilizing community computer class offerings to reach adult community members in Mattawa, Royal City, and Othello. The first half of her term was spent generating community computer classes, developing more classes in each community, and training volunteers through Central Washington University (CWU) GEARUP. The second half of the term was focused on expanding that interest to self-study and home use, and to continue the access to learning. During the course of the year, over 130 users were involved in introductory computer classes and intermediate level classes. Students logged roughly 1400 user hours. Among other things, these classes built community capacity, strengthened a cadre of volunteers, and led BBCC to develop partnerships and open new computer classes in Mattawa, Royal City and Othello that were geared to second language learners.
Project Outcome:
Victoria refined and implemented a second language (Spanish) curriculum that was used in the computer classes. She based the curriculum on research done with a variety of programs working with second language students. CWU GEARUP linked with Victoria to provide work study students to teach computer classes in the three communities. CWU recruited bilingual campus students who then taught the computer classes under the guidance of the VISTA program. One of the CWU GEARUP program objectives is to increase knowledge and awareness of post secondary education for the families with children in these three communities. Increasing the family’s access to technology is a link to their literacy growth and improves success in school. Victoria also developed a strong relationship with the RECA Foundation in Kennewick and continued to link community members to the foundation so they could purchase refurbished computers at a low cost for their home use. We have learned that real progress for most students is dependant on computers in the home. Victoria was able to get computers into many of the student’s homes in Royal City and Mattawa and to help them keep these computers working. The computers are geared more towards families and give kids a basis for learning. They have security in place to prevent major problems from occurring to the operating system. The major drawback in these computers is that they do not allow changes to the system and prevent use of the internet. However, as a beginning computer for families, they are perfect because they aren’t susceptible to viruses as they become more comfortable with the computers, they can later invest in one that is Internet ready. In the meantime, Internet access and ESL software remains available in the community labs.
Impact Quote:
Victoria has been able to build upon the foundation that was established by last year’s VISTA member to continue the development of dynamic, active technology centers. She is an enormous asset to both the organization and the communities in which she has demonstrated her talent and good will.
CAMINOS Pathways Learning Center
Website:
http://www.caminossf.org/ Location:
San Francisco, CA
Located in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District, CAMINOS enables low-income, Latina immigrants to create opportunities for self and economic improvement through access to technology. CAMINOS is a non-profit organization dedicated to using technology to improve the lives of Latina immigrants. By enabling unemployed or underemployed Latina, immigrant women move from manual or service labor to office and technology-based work, thus interrupting the cycle of poverty and social isolation affecting Latina immigrant women’s health and wellbeing.
CAMINOS works to ensure that low-income Latina immigrant women in the community can reap the benefits of the information revolution that is fundamentally changing our economic and social structure. Without programs such as ours, poor communities would miss the opportunity to be integrated into the technological era, further exacerbating existing equity problems.
Our programs work together to empower Latina immigrant women to build living-wage careers within the information and technology sector.dive
CTC Program Building
Organization:
Technology for All VISTA Name:
Ken Yu
Program Start:
8/2002
Program End:
8/2004
Project Description:
As an Americorps*Vista with Technology For All, Ken Yu has been involved in capacity building with TFA’s Mission Milby Community Technology Center (MMCTC). Ken’s involvement has centered on the development of a full complement of CTC activities and programs in service to the community. One significant accomplishment that Ken had direct leadership responsibility for was the implementation of the tax assistance program at MMCTC. He also has been instrumental in organizing and starting new class offerings including a basic computer skills class in Spanish. During the month of February, MMCTC had 382 unique individuals participate in CTC programs and activities.
Project Outcome:
A key component of the Americorps*Vista project with TFA has been capacity building. Building good relationships with community members and clients of the CTC is an important part of this. He has developed several strong working relationships with a few clients. Another component of capacity building is the development of community volunteers to support the work of the CTC. Recently, Ken recruited a Spanish speaking community member to lead a new basic computer skills class in Spanish. This was a big accomplishment for the CTC and for Ken.
One of Ken’s capacity building activities has been the development and implementation of CTC data collection and entry. We are now able to compare CTC data for each month regarding class sessions and attendance within the CTC. Ken’s responsibility for this activity will help us with funders as we seek additional support for our work in the community.