web development

Computer Distribution Coordinator

Organization: 
HandyCapable Network, Inc.
VISTA Name: 
Nathan Badera
Program Start: 
7/2008
Program End: 
7/2009
Project Description: 

HandyCapable Network promotes self-sufficiency and enriches the lives of people with disabilities or people who are otherwise socially or economically challenged by providing training in and access to computer technology.

Marketing

1. Develop partnerships to receive donations of computers for refurbishing.

2. Develop ways to distribute computers beyond the needs of new CLCs established by HCN. For instance, building on current relationships with social service non-profits to put computers in homes of low-income families; explore computers for after school programs; provide computers for non-profit office use.

3.Develop a marketing and public relations plan and implement that plan toward the goals of community awareness, gaining financial support and computer donations. Plan to include print, radio, tv media, and website and other online options.

4. Develop or revise marketing materials to support both of these efforts including: 1) letters to potential computer donors; 2) Project description/brochure; 3) Edit and distribute two newsletters for the program as a support to marketing and fundraising efforts.

Fundraising

1. Develop a one hour “tour” program, and host visitors monthly.

2. Develop corporate partnerships that include computer and/or financial donations.

3. Further develop the supporter database to track donations, and to ease communications by letter and email with supporters.

4. Develop an acknowledgment plan to thank donors and recognize donations.

5. Coordinate one or two fundraising events.

Project Coordination Assistance

1. Assist in managing the computer distribution for one or more major projects, including the distribution of computers to 7th grade students at Hairston Middle School in 2007-08.

Project Outcome: 

Nate developed at least 5 partnerships with various businesses on his own and many smaller individual donors. These connections continue to provide ongoing computers for HCN.

He also negotiated a 200 computer purchase at a very nominal fee, picked them up, loaded and unloaded them, and found a place to have them stored.

Nate revised brochures, and a variety of new donor letters, flyers were completed.

He submitted a grant application to Leadership Greensboro which resulted in a team of four local business leaders to help him develop a marketing package, a promotional DVD (still in the works), a lead database and 3 large computer donors. One donor at a local hospital brings 25-40 computers a month.

Nate was especially successful with media through press releases, resulting in TV news coverage three times (videos on our website), one school distribution had 3 local channels show up to cover it. Another grant he submitted to a Create-A-Thon, a local marketing firm, has resulted in a large banner for use at events. It came in very handy and was used 4 times during Nate’s service.

He was instrumental in making many updates, changes and fine tuning our website. He developed the Virtual Tour and has agreed to continue to keep the HCN website fresh and up to date. Nate coordinated all computer distributions which included 71 to the families at Hairston Middle School, 77 to Newcomers School (all immigrants from 8 different countries), 60 to another local immigrant community and sometimes with the help of the Executive Director but often on his own he delivered 50 computers to Group homes (for adults with disabilities) throughout the state of NC. These distributions are very time- and staff intensive; having a Vista take the majority of the responsibility helped other staff to do their respective jobs more effectively. Just before he left, Nate submitted a grant for $30,000 for another local school distribution. We recently received the letter stating we were awarded $25,000.

We have a great website, new ongoing partners, so many computers we have to store them off site, new relationships, an inventory database that makes life easier and some big shoes to fill. (We offered Nate a job, but he declined). We are sustaining Nate’s work by hiring the previous Vista, Anna Simanovitch, in a part time Admin. Assistant role. We have also worked out a consulting contract with Nate to continue web updates, write grants, help complete the Annual Report and in many other ways we we may need to use his expertise and knowledge of our organization .

A-VOYCE Web Development Project Coordinator

VISTA Name: 
Vimala Phongsavanh
Program Start: 
7/2008
Program End: 
7/2009
Project Description: 

We would like to host a VISTA member who will develop effective online communications that complement and support program work for ACDC’s youth program, Asian Voices of Organized Youth for Community Empowerment (A-VOYCE). This person works to inform the development of online strategic initiatives, and assumes primary responsibility for content development and strategy. A-VOYCE serves youth ages 13-19 from the Greater Boston area, with an emphasis on low-income youth from Boston and urban Asian American (AA) communities. This youth development program fosters leadership potential and encourages youth to develop an active voice in their community through two project tracts: producing and leading Chinatown walking tours and producing a weekly radio show that broadcasts on WMFO 91.5 Tuft Community Radio.

The VISTA member will primarily be responsible for creating a strategy to use web 2.0 tools such as, but not limited to, Facebook, Myspace, YouTube, blogs, and wikis,for publicity, marketing, and fundraising purposes. Depending on the VISTA member’s interests, s/he will have the opportunity to identify synergistic approaches that align electronic media and web content presentation with enterprise objectives. Possible projects would involve developing an online marketing plan to increase number of paid walking tours or creating a prototype for disseminating the audio walking tour. While the VISTA will not work directly with youth, s/he will be instrumental in growing the youth program by providing a framework for using web based tools and forums to share A-VOYCE projects such as podcasts of our radio shows, oral histories, and excerpts from a forthcoming A-VOYCE literary magazine. S/he will also work with the youth programs staff to identify best practices for media education and engaging youth in producing web media content.

Project Outcome: 

Vilmala has been extraordinary at implementing a web based presense for the A-VOYCE program. Her skill in this areana has helped facilitate more open communication amongst and between the youth. The youth have a strong bond of trust with her and she has been a good role model and capable teacher for them. She has done a remarkable job at running the radio station, something she had no experience with before she came to ACDC. She is fearless when it comes to tackling challenges and issues and she does it with minimal supervision.

Shortly after she arrived at ACDC, we had the opportunity to partner with the CITGO-Venezuela Energy Efficient Lighting Program in partnership with Citizens Programs Corporation to implement a pilot program that would provide compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and energy efficiency education. The Program provided low-income households with educational materials on energy efficiency and energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs. Vimala took the project on and became proficient at delivering workshops and training to the Chinese community where she did not speak the language and faced overwhelming interest. ACDC was literally flooded with requests and the project took on a life of it’s own. Vimala handled this by recruiting chinese speaking residents to assist in teaching workshops and helping to handle the volume of people who flooded to ACDC to participate in the program. It also required a lot of community outreach, translation of materials and finding ways to communicate when there were cultural and linguistic barriers. The program was a smashing success, in large measure, because of Vimala’s attention to detail and open communication with board, staff, volunteers and community members. The program raised $22,972 for A-VOYCE which was a real boost for the program.

Impact Quote: 

Vimala made a significant contribution to ACDC’s and A-VOYCE’s ability to expand our on-line presence. In the process she taught youth new web tools and created a way for them to freely communicate back and forth. She stepped up to the plate and ran the Energy Efficiency Program, which served over 1000 low-income community residents. We would not have had the staff capacity to run the program otherwise.”
- Dharmena Downey, supervisor

Consituent Coordinator

Organization: 
Grassroots.org
VISTA Name: 
Laura Benack
Program Start: 
7/2008
Program End: 
7/2009
Project Description: 

The Constituent Coordinator Position is a one-year full time paid Americorps*VISTA position (see compensation details below).

• Draft content for marketing and communications materials, including website, electronic newsletter and printed collateral

• Provide outstanding customer service to both internal and external constituent groups members

• Update and maintain member and donor databases

• Build and maintain partnerships with for- and nonprofit partners and community groups

• Assist executive staff in design and implementation of strategic outreach initiatives

• Participate in special projects as needed

Project Outcome: 

Laura developed a grant narrative for Monster.com for Grassroots.org’s volunteer program. This comprehensive document will be very useful in the development of future proposals. She also developed a needs statement (a crucial development document the organization was lacking) that was submitted along with five proposals this year and will be submitted along with all future grant proposals.

She helped to create and then managed Grassroots.org’s volunteer graphic design program. In five months, there were more than 20 graphic design projects completed: http://volunteer.grassroots.org/image/tid/2.

Laura built upon upon Grassroots.org’s community of web design volunteers from 90 to over 400 through social networking and volunteer requests on Craigslist, SmartVolunteer and Volunteer Match. Laura documented the process, which could be replicated by another staff member.

She developed web content and mailings for Holiday Giving Campaign, which can be publicized annually: http://www.grassroots.org/holidaygiving Helped grow the individual giving program, including handling administrative tasks associated.

Laura assisted in acquiring and managing a grant from google.com for $10,000/ month in ad words. She helped to develop and implement four significant new program service offerings. Helped reestablish our facebook presence and create a new twitter presence. We grew from 0 to 2,160 twitter followers in four months. We have grown our membership from 680 members to over 2,000. We have increased the rate of usage for our tools. In previous years, we averaged about $200,000 in free services being given away. In the past year we have given away over $2 million. We have grown our membership from 680 members to over 2,000. We have increased the rate of usage for our tools. In previous years, we averaged about $200,000 in free services being given away. In the past year we have given away over $2 million.

Impact Quote: 

Laura did an amazing job! In fact, we hired her as a full time staff person after her term of service ended.”
- Shane Hankins, supervisor

New Media Coordinator

Organization: 
Grassroots.org
VISTA Name: 
Alice Luu
Program Start: 
7/2008
Program End: 
7/2009
Project Description: 

he New Media Coordinator Position is a one-year full time paid Americorps*VISTA position (see compensation details below).

• Interview program clients and write compelling success stories for Grassroots.org print and web communications.

• Manage relationship with PR Firm, including telephone interviews for Press Releases

• Assist in the execution and growth of electronic media

• Create web traffic reports, manage website content updates

• Copy, Edit, Proofread and assist with writing of all print and electronic media (includes fundraising collateral, client-outreach publications, donor communication etc).

• Identify and implement technology solutions to realize strategic organizational and programmatic goals

• Assist in the creation and design of subsites for Grassroots.org (such as client help site, portal sites)

Project Outcome: 

We were able to achieve most of our significant goals, and also to complete additional items not on the original work plan.

Four Grassroots.org tools are now fully documented with help guides and easy-to-understand information for our membership, which will be valuable as we increase our member base. Our blog content helps convert visitors to members, and there is now a framework for our blog. The positive testimonials will help boost membership and funding prospects. We have also opened up our blog for members and supporters to post their testimonials. Please find it here: http://www.grassroots.org/blog Grassroots.org now has a newsletter template ready to be used monthly. Our e-mail list has grown from 600 to 8000+ contacts, and our monthly content has produced a loyal group of readers. (We currently sustained less than 1% unsubscribe rate). Alice developed seven significant programmatic partnerships, which resulted in on going referrals for membership at Grassroots.org. The partners include some of the best nonprofit umbrella organizations in the country. For a full list please go here: http://www.grassroots.org/support/program-partners Developed a you tube channel site, include new overview videos for potential members and potential donors. Please go here to see: http://www.youtube.com/user/GrassrootsDotOrg Developed an earned media outreach plan, which resulted in multiple significant media mentions. This included ABCnews.com, PC world, Tech Soup, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Please see our media page for more info: http://www.grassroots.org/news We have grown our membership from 680 members to over 2,000. We have increased the rate of usage for our tools. In previous years, we averaged about $200,000 in free services being given away. In the past year we have given away over $2 million in services.

Impact Quote: 

Alice did an amazing job. So much so that we hired her as a full time staff person to continue the projects she started and work on new initiatives.”
- Shanke Hankins, supervisor

Youth Program Development

VISTA Name: 
Katrina Kennett
Program Start: 
7/2008
Program End: 
8/2009
Project Description: 

The Coalition for Asian Pacific American Youth is a project of the Asian American Studies Program at University of Massachusetts Boston. It builds the leadership of Asian American high school students in the greater Boston area through the development and implementation of youth-led projects. We believe that youth united by a common cause can make a difference.

The following are the types of activities that the AmeriCorps VISTA member will accomplish:

1. Program and Curriculum Planning and Implementation– The No. One priority of the school in the coming year is to upgrade and update the school’s curriculum. Under the leadership and guidance of the Programs & Curriculum Committee (PCC) members, the VISTA volunteer will be an active participant in the planning process and will help implement recommendations made by the PCC through out the year.

2. Systematize School Operations and Procedures– A critical task is to create a reference source for the school’s operations and procedures. The VISTA volunteer will lead the development and production of a set of school handbooks. There will be a general school handbook, a handbook customized for the needs of the teachers and one customized for the students. The development and production of the bi-lingual English/Chinese handbooks will be a collaborative effort with the participation of the school Board and staff.

3. Create/Update Bi-lingual Schools Forms and Pamphlets– Working with the staff and the Programs & Curriculum Committee, the VISTA volunteer will be the project leader in updating or creating program description pamphlets; tuition and tuition assistance, and enrollment forms. The staff will assisted in getting all communications materials translated into Chinese. As part of the need to systematize the school operations, the VISTA volunteer will assist in the creation of a student database to capture student profile, track attendance, tuition payment history, et al.

4. Update and Upgrade the School’s Bilingual Website– In collaboration with the website volunteer and using information gathered under Items 2 and 3, the VISTA volunteer will lead in the upgrading, updating, and monitoring of the school website.

5. Create a Template to Start a Parent Teacher Association– In collaboration with the Board and staff and using standard PTA guidelines, the VISTA volunteer will develop the mission/vision and sustainable, start-up goals and programs for a PTA. Once the PTA handbook is approved by the Board, the VISTA volunteer will assist in the start-up phase of the PTA.

Project Outcome: 

n the beginning, Katrina centered on constructing infrastructure in KKCS’s practices and procedures. She has worked with the Head of School to develop institutional policies and procedures, and worked diligently to implement effective and efficient practices in the After School Program. Through recruiting and training volunteers, she has expanded the number of people working with students, thus lessening the student to teacher radio. She has worked to build an efficient Healthy Snack Program which provides the After School students with nutritious and balanced snacks every day. Katrina also has her sights set on the long term impacts that technology can make on KKCS and has been a part of the planning process for our student and school database. Through these and many more tasks, her comprehensive understanding of both the day to day operation as well as the long term goals have helped to bring KKCS to a higher level.

For the first time, Math/English is offered in the After-School program. Katrina designed the curriculum which follows the Boston Public School standards, recruited student teachers from colleges and Boston Latin School to teach these subjects two days a week for two hours each day. Katrina has also provided additional resources such as lesson planning templates, sample lesson plans and best practices. The Math/English program continues to be offered in the After-School program.

Though Katrina drafted several of the school handbooks, none were adopted. In an effort to gain input and feedback, it was hoped that separate constituient committees conisisting of teachers, parents and students would be formed. This was not done. Time and resources were the challenge. KKCS’s website updating was not addressed by the school administration. The Parent Teacher Association had several starts, but did not get organized. This is a brand new concept to KKCS; the appropriate leadership needs to be identified.

Impact Quote: 

Katrina won the hearts of the teaching assistants and students. When she finished her time here, she was feted by many segments of the population, as a group, as smaller groups and individuals. Some members of the community continue to have contact with her.”
- Helen Chin Schlichte, supervisor

Website Development and Online Community Management

VISTA Name: 
Morgan Sully
Program Start: 
6/2007
Program End: 
12/2008
Project Description: 

Our Technology Infrastructure and Content Development project will focus on the next phase of developing our online suite of tools to help our members. We have begun to put the Plan in place by building a new “Mapping the Field” database; preparing for 2007

For the 2007 Technology Infrastructure/Content Development Project we ask the VISTA volunteer to:

1. Manage and contribute to NAMAC’s 2007 technology planning project which will help our membership connect and work with each other more fully across the field.

2. Develop NAMAC’s website, with special attention to building it out with Web 2.0 platforms.

3. Assist program staff in creating a variety of new content and participatory areas of the web site.

4. Contribute to helping the national media arts community to build capacity through online participatory technologies.

5. Work with program staff to upgrade our website with a new “look and feel.”

6. Work with programming staff to build out the online historical “media arts movement” timeline.

Project Outcome: 

Morgan’s primary focus has been on the complete redesign of the NAMAC website – from complex technical programming to taxonomization of data and content to social networking and blogging. It launched in the end of August and is becoming the nervous system of the NAMAC offerings. We are very happy with the results and look forward to our next phase of community building online, educating our membership in social networking through the site, and extending its reach to other nonprofits, communities and the public. Morgan has been a kind, reponsive and patient staff member throughout this process, always thinking strategically about how our online offerings can benefit new members, communities and organizations.

Morgan wrote an article about the website-building process for our member newsletter and produced a short video on how to use the site to its maximum capability. Now he is transitioning into the role of online community manager. He is managing our website content, troubleshooting any technical problems, and most importantly creating an online community of dedicated users from the NAMAC membership and other nonprofits, to the public at-large.

It was a hard challenge to solve a lot of the technical problems that the transistion to a Drupal environment posed. But we were very pleased to see that not only was Morgan a problem solver, but he was a solution seeker, reaching out continuously to the technical community and his network of programmers to find ways to deal with the small to large issues that would arise.

Impact Quote: 

The work accomplished by Morgan Sully will have a long lasting effect on the organization, and by extension to the field of media arts and public media. He has transformed our online presence into an interactive Web 2.0 environment. He is becoming an online “community manager” developing networks of users and supporters that will have great impact in the future of the organization and how we offer services and programs to our membership and beyond.”
- Helen DeMichiel, supervisor

Community Development Project, Technology Coordinator

Organization: 
HELP of Ojai
VISTA Name: 
James (Jim) Mora
Program Start: 
6/2007
Program End: 
6/2008
Project Description: 

HELP was recently given control of a 42-acre site (11 acres agricultural land, 80,000 sq.ft of buildings in varying states of usability and open space) of a former Honor Farm/jail complex in order to meet the growing needs of our aging community.

VISTA members will work with HELP staff and community members to transform the jail into a community resource center. The project is large and includes development of broadband access for the full 42 acre site, technical assistance for the organization as a whole, development of expanded programming for our CTC, expansion of our digital storytelling project and website development to improve accessibility for those who are vision impaired.

Community Networking: with staff, finalize negotiations to provide broadband access at the former jail site. Develop outreach materials to promote broadband services. Work on e-newsletter and other materials to encourage resource use.

Technology Assistance: With IT Director, assess current staff technology capabilities and identify and provide training resources in use of basic computing tools, including Microsoft Office, email, security and backup procedures. Assist in equipment/software selection as lab is upgraded

Digital Media: coordinate Digital Storytelling program that matches seniors and teens while collecting life stories. Document transformation of “jail to jewel”. Recruit and train volunteer instructors as well as program participants

Access and Inclusion: Work with webmaster to streamline website and improve accessibility for those with disabilities. Manage open access hours at computer lab.

Project Outcome: 

Vista volunteer developed our agency’s website, set up, maintained and assisted in our computer lab (open to the public at no charge to give low-income seniors and others internet access), and developed curriculums for computer classes. Also, assisted in agencywide IT issues, offering advice and providing consultation.Website was created, computer lab was opened, class curriculum was developed and classes offered.

The website that Jim developed was the first one our agency has ever had. It has resulted in more public exposure and donations.

CBO Web Development Strategist

Organization: 
Davis Community Network
VISTA Name: 
Rian Graves
Program Start: 
4/2007
Program End: 
8/2008
Project Description: 

The “NPO Digital Literacy Toolkit and Virtual Volunteer Initiative” project is a combination of community networking, technology assistance to nonprofits, and digital media. We believe that with the advent of new web tools, we have an opportunity to reach populations we have not reached before, and provide them access to a more accessible and empowering internet.

Over the year, our Vista will be involved in the following activities:

- help identify representative segments of our community and assess their communications needs
- become familiar with and adept at using DCN’s existing toolkit
- explore and test next generation digital tools and open source applications provided by various national and international organizations
- help coordinate the development and testing of prototype toolkits which use next generation tools
- help develop and implement a train-the-trainers curriculum
- create recommended volunteer procedures and systems that could be generalized to other community organizations, an online guide for volunteer management for use by local nonprofits, the template for an online volunteer handbook
- develop DCN’s procedures and systems (and a draft online guide) for volunteer management, test the NPO Digital Literacy Toolkit’s use for DCN’s purposes to recruit and manage volunteers, and develop a draft online volunteer handbook for DCN
- work with DCN to promote development and hosting of local rich media content,
such as blogs and vlogs, podcasts, digital storytelling, etc and explore opportunities to develop this type of content for hosting on the DCN website

Project Outcome: 

Working independently, Rian collected examples of Web 2.0 tools, resources related to them, case studies, and effective practices. She designed and developed a website to share this information broadly. She assisted in the development of several slide presentations on subjects ranging from electronic newsletters to databases and effective practices in the use of these technologies. Rian also developed recommendations for DCN’s volunteer management program, including a volunteer manual, and created on-line resources for other nonprofits to use in developing their own volunteer management programs.

Once the resources were collected into an invaluable website by Rian, a small team of technical liaisons were able to use them in supporting five pilot organizations, including the Food Bank of Yolo County, Yolo Community Foundation, Short-Term Emergency Action Committee, TREEDavis, and Davis Community Network itself. These technical liaisons are volunteers, and it made their jobs much easier to conduct strategic communications planning with the nonprofits, identify their target audiences for the pilot period, messages they wanted to use the Internet to deliver, what they wanted their audiences to do, and finally, what Internet tools (from the collection of resources on the website), would help them to carry out their strategic communications plan. Without of all Rian’s up-front work, these volunteers could not have been immediately helpful to the organizations, to help them set up their websites in a sustainable way (so that they are not dependent on DCN’s volunteers to maintain them), to develop online webforms for simple contact management, electronic newsletters, and community calendars. In addition, Rian led a team to evaluate more sophisticated collaborative, communication, and contact management tools for DCN to use, to model potential future uses of tools such as Google Apps and Salesforce, when local nonprofits (with our help), become more sophisticated in their use of the Internet.

The major challenge for Rian was that DCN did not have an executive director during most of the term of her assignment, which meant that she was supervised, first by a team of volunteers, and then by a single volunteer. While she was able to carry out assignments once they were framed, and she worked well independently, she (and the organization) would have benefited from supervision by a staff person.

Impact Quote: 

Rian was invaluable in providing resources to help our organization become a better model, in identifying new technologies (Web 2.0) to evaluate and test with our pilot organizations, and suggesting sustainable approaches to maintaining these resources.”
- Vicki Suter, supervisor

Technology Capacity Coordinator

Organization: 
Appalshop
VISTA Name: 
Stewart Blair
Program Start: 
8/2007
Program End: 
8/2008
Project Description: 

As the Digital Presenting Coordinator, our VISTA member will work with the Media Archive and Web Team to improve the Appalshop’s capacity to digitally present its history, work, and issue-based campaigns to diverse internet audiences. Presentations will consist of text, visuals, audio, and video files. Specific tasks include:

- Devising a method and/or template for creating web-based digital media
presentations
- Training Appalshop staff, community members, and youth to make digital
presentations of their own work
- Developing a plan and infrastructure for uploading presentations to web and
distributing presentations to multiple,diverse audiences; plan/infrastructure
should emphasize use of new networking/technology tools like YouTube and MySpace
- Creating an introductory webpage for Appalshop’s Film Division that includes
articles, interviews, and audio and video pieces about Appalshop Films’ history
and current work
- Using work from Appalshop’s Media Archive to create issue- or topic-specific web
presentations and distributing them to key, yet diverse, web audiences

All web presentations will support Appalshop’s mission to involve the people of Appalachia in the representation of their culture, traditions, and stories.

Project Outcome: 

Stewart Machlyn Blair was successful in integrating web 2.0 strategies into Appalshop’s training programs and building advanced technology learning opportunities for advanced youth so they could continue to contribute to Appalshop’s overall work as a non-profit media arts and education center. Blair also was successful in initiating and testing digital delivery services, contributing to building the databases necessary to implement digital delivery.

One of the difficulties Blair faced was organizing his time among different responsibilities. This challenge was recognized early in his service and we developed more pro-active mentorship that seemed to help.

Impact Quote: 

Blair greatly increased our capacity to provide technology and media education training and access in an area where there are few opportunities for young people or adults to gain media/technology literacy, and use these new tools to participate in their communities.”
- Rebecca O’Doherty, supervisor

Youth Education Organizer

VISTA Name: 
Carrie Cook
Program Start: 
1/2008
Program End: 
7/2009
Project Description: 

Our AmeriCorps*VISTA member will help develop capacity for CDS ongoing educational work with classroom-based and after-school programs serving low income communities nationally and in the Bay Area and nationally. Some of their tasks will include:

a)Building the online capacity for workshops for CDS’ after school work in StoryMapping (see storymapping.org),

b)helping to develop the Youth Digital Storytelling Cookbook, handouts and curriculum materials, and

c)developing curriculum with workshops in collaboration with youth afterschool organizations emphasizing literacy, writing and technology including 826Valencia/826National and Youth Speaks.

Project Outcome: 

Carrie Cook Carrie has focused on developing our internal systems that support expanding services to low-income individuals. She has developed our tutorial for embedding digital stories in community maps and assisted with the development of digital stories for a Tuscaloosa, Alabama-based project supporting residents of low-income housing. She has also been involved with developing outreach materials for the silence speaks project and a blog for educators who are implementing skills learned in our workshops in their classrooms. The blog will allow them to more effectively utilize digital storytelling with their stories. In addition, she supported website development and local event organizing for the International Day for Telling Life Stories. She will also participate in strengthening our internal digital story archiving system.

Impact Quote: 

Both Carrie and Laura have demonstrated a collaborative spirit and have used their technical expertise to support our organization’s mission. In particular, their knowledge of Web 2.0 technologies is an asset to an organization in which staff have differing levels of experience with both newer web technologies. They are both invaluable in terms of training staff in how to use the technology and being able to offer ideas about the potential of the technology for improving our services. […] Carrie has utilized the knowledge base with which she came to CDS to strengthen our program structures and increase our resources and the effectiveness of our programs. She has been especially helpful in setting up new computers, creating a ‘storywalk’ tutorial and supporting the development of outreach materials.”
- Andrea Spagat, supervisor

Transmission Project