Narrowing the digital divide: WorldCom, Brown announce grants to 20 underserved U.S. communities
WASHINGTON, DC , Tuesday, May 16, 2000- WorldCom and Brown
University today announced grants to 20 programs nationwide which
link public schools or community organizations with local colleges or
universities to develop educational technology projects for youth in
underserved areas.
Thousands of students in grades K-12 will benefit from grants
awarded through the Making a Civic Investment program. The $5-million
program, funded by WorldCom and administered by Campus Compact at
Brown, goes beyond funding for computer hardware and software.
"This effort brings together community groups, the private
sector, higher education, and schools to help build stronger, more
vibrant communities," said Jonathan B. Sallet, WorldCom chief
policy counsel. "Our purpose is to improve learning through
technology, not just through the provision of hardware and software,
but by teaching students to use technology to learn and thrive in
today's technology-rich environment."
The programs range widely from urban schools to Native American
tribal communities, from online community newspapers to urban gardens
to Web sites that gather neighborhood history. They vary
geographically from Spokane, Wash., to Lorman, Miss., to Miami. Many
programs are intergenerational. Each program will receive annual
funding for two years and will be eligible for continued funding for
a total of five years. Leaders of the 20 programs qualify for annual
professional development programs at Brown. WorldCom and its UUNET
subsidiary will ensure that each project has high-speed Internet
access for the term of the grant. Although the size of individual
projects varies, most grants will total more than $200,000 over five
years. More than 160 community-based programs applied for grants.
"The projects we are funding were developed by partnerships
between community organizations and local colleges and
universities," said Elizabeth Hollander, executive director of
Campus Compact. "As a national coalition of nearly 700 college
and university presidents committed to improving America's
communities, we are enthusiastic about this program because it will
help communities raise a generation of students who can not only use
technology, but can use it to improve their own
neighborhoods."
Editors: Information on the 20 projects is attached. Additional
information is available at the Campus Compact Web site:
http://www.compact.org/
Making a Civic Investment expands on WorldCom's commitment to
support education and learning using cutting-edge technology. The
WorldCom Foundation's Marco Polo program features a comprehensive
teacher training kit and is available online at no cost through the
program's Web site http://www.wcom.com/marcopolo. In December
1999, WorldCom announced an initiative to provide specialized
Internet training for all teachers in seven Mississippi Delta states.
Teacher training has already been provided or is underway in eight
major metro areas around the country. Last month, WorldCom committed
to provide high-speed wireless Internet service, MMDS, to schools and
libraries in four rural communities: Hattiesburg, Miss., Douma, La.,
Dothan, Ala., and Raleigh, N.C.
WorldCom (NASDAQ: WCOM) is a global leader in
"all-distance" communications services with operations in
more than 65 countries. Revenues in 1999 were $37 billion, with more
than $15 billion from high-growth data, Internet and international
services. WorldCom and Sprint have announced a merger agreement,
which the companies expect to close in the second half of 2000 after
regulatory approvals. For more information: http://www.wcom.com
Grant recipients
Tempe, Ariz. - The Active Learning Project
Partnership: Kenilworth Elementary School, the Salvation
Army-Phoenix Citadel Corps and Arizona State University's America
Reads Program.
Structure: Elementary school students will plant and cultivate a
new garden, a living laboratory where they will learn fundamental
biological concepts. They will cultivate fruit, vegetables and
flowers with the help of college students and share their experiences
through the creation of a new Web site. The Internet technology will
provide both research and publication opportunities for the
youngsters. In particular, they will communicate with other children
involved in the cultivation of gardens under the direction of the
Salvation Army-Phoenix Citadel Corps. The program expands an existing
literacy program that pairs tutors from Arizona State University with
elementary students and their parents under the direction of the
elementary school's bilingual teachers.
Contact: Janice Kelly, senior program coordinator, Arizona State
University, (480) 727-6382 or jan.kelly@asu.edu.
Northridge, Calif. - University Partnership for Learning the
Internet with Families Together (UPLIFT)
Partnership: Community Charter Middle School and California State
University-Northridge.
Structure: UPLIFT will establish a community computer laboratory
where minority students from the university's computer science
department will teach 300 sixth- and seventh-graders and their
families basic computer and Internet skills. Youngsters will conduct
neighborhood surveys about current local concerns, and make the
information available to the community through a school-based Web
site.
Contact: Maureen Rubin, director of the Center for Community
Service Learning, California State University Northridge, (818)
677-7395 or maureen.rubin@csun.edu.
Rohnert Park, Calif. - TECHequity
Partnership: Institute for Computer Technology, Resources for
Innovation, Sonoma State University, Solano Community College, and
Mare Island Technology (MIT) Academy.
Structure: The program will create, implement, and evaluate a
model middle and high school curriculum that integrates technology
with service-learning projects. It will provide the MIT Academy
faculty with curriculum development support and technology support.
The project will also provide teaching candidates from both Sonoma
State University and Solano Community College with AmeriCorps
opportunities.
Contact: Lynne Vaughan, community partnership planner, Sonoma
State University, (707) 552-2382 or lynnevaugh@aol.com.
Denver, Colo. - Virtual Civic Democracy: Connecting the
Community
Partnership: The Horace Mann Neighborhood Center, the Learn and
Earn Computer Program, and the University of Denver.
Structure: The program will assist children and adults in using
information technology as a force for community revitalization and
democratic action. Building off the Learn and Earn Computer Program,
students from the University of Denver will develop a new Internet
class to help youth and adults learn the useful personal and civic
applications of the World Wide Web. University students will assist
elementary and middle school students in developing a community Web
page, hosting a community Web site and chat room, and incorporating
the Internet into community leadership training provided by an area
community-based organization.
Contact: David Lisman, director, Center for Service Learning and
Civic Education, University of Denver, (303) 871-4921 or
dlisman@du.edu.
Hamden, Ct. - The Kidz Corps Project
Partnership: Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School, the Center for Optimum
Care, a local nursing home, and Quinnipiac University.
Structure: Sixth-graders from the Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School
will "adopt" the Center for Optimum Care and begin a series
of conversations with the elderly designed to build bridges of
understanding between the two groups. A set of structured
intergenerational activities will be facilitated and enhanced by the
use of technology. The youngsters will conduct video interviews of
the elderly and use the interviews as the basis for reflective
journal writing, interdisciplinary class discussions and group
projects. They will perform research on the Internet regarding the
problems associated with aging. They will then build a project Web
site that contains interviews conducted by the students about the
elderly.
Contact: Gloria Holmes, assistant professor of education,
Quinnipiac University, (203) 287-3461 or
gloria.holmes@quinnipiac.edu.
Miami, Fla. - The Power of Learning Project
Partnership: Eight partners include the Greater Bethel AME Church,
the BAME Development Corporation, Booker T. Washington High School,
the Center for Civic Education, Miami-Dade County Public Schools,
Kids Voting Dade County, the Overtown Optimist Club, and Miami-Dade
Community College.
Structure: The project will establish a permanent community-based
computer lab/classroom to engage children and their families in the
use of technology and the Internet as a key tool for creating civic
engagement and social responsibility. Students and faculty from
Miami-Dade Community College will act as mentors and volunteers in a
community computer lab. It will serve as the hub for a range of
learning activities designed to increase accessibility to the world
of the Internet, build information-processing skills of community
members, and provide a rich environment for collaborative
community-building activities to take place.
Contact: Joshua Young, director Center for Community Involvement,
Miami-Dade Community College, (305) 237-7477 or jyoung@mdcc.edu.
Edwardsville, Ill. - Bridging the Digital Divide
Partnership: Eight existing community-based after-school programs
and Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.
Structure: The project will enable 750 school children, ages 5 to
13, to gain greater technological expertise on the computer through
after-school programs. Students will have access to the Internet and
use it to better their community. For example, a group of students
may research the problems surrounding lead-based paint using the
Internet and identify methods for addressing the problem in homes in
the neighborhood. The program will also match them with successful
professionals and college students in an on-line mentoring
relationship. A portion of the target population - those who tutor
other students - will also receive computers for their homes.
Contact: Don Baden, associate dean, School of Education, Southern
Illinois University Edwardsville, (618) 650-3644 or
dbaden@siue.edu.
Amherst, Mass. - The Digital Community Newsroom Project
Partnership: Holyoke Neighborhood Networks Center, El Arco Iris
Youth and Community Arts Center, and Hampshire College.
Structure: Hampshire College students and faculty will teach Web
design, writing and leadership skills to Holyoke youth through the
creation of an on-line and paper community newsletter. By
highlighting ongoing community revitalization efforts, and by giving
youth a public voice, the newsletter will promote community
involvement and provide a unique service to community residents of
all ages. Residents will be invited to tap into the Web site to learn
about what is happening in the community. The project also will
familiarize Holyoke youth with a wide range of important job skills
and potential career paths.
Contact: Tom Murray, director, Digital Design Center, Hampshire
College, (413) 559-5433 or tmurray@hampshire.edu.
Grand Rapids, Mich. - Partnership for Internet Enhanced
Learning
Partnership: Alexander School, Neland Avenue Christian Reformed
Church, Campau Park School, New Hope Church, and Calvin College.
Structure: The project aims to improve student literacy with
Internet-based teaching and tutoring, and develop an extensive
collection of Internet-based curriculum materials. Retired members of
New Hope Church and college students will be paired with elementary
students in technology mentoring relationships. Students will visit
Web sites that encourage them to perform integrative tasks in ways
that contribute to the construction of their own Web sites. In
particular, African-American cultural sites on the World Wide Web
will be the focus for reading and writing projects.
Contact: Steven Timmermans, dean for instruction, Calvin College,
(616) 957-6122, or timmes@calvin.edu. Rhae-Ann Booker, director of
pre-college programs, Calvin College, (616) 957-6748 or
rbooker@calvin.edu.
Lorman, Miss. - Family On-Line Computing Academy for Civic
Investment
Partnership: Fourth graders, their parents, teachers and
librarians from two predominantly minority communities in Claiborne
and Jefferson Counties, and Alcorn State University.
Structure: A family technology center will be established at
Alcorn State University for 60 families to use the Web after school
and on weekends each year. The university will make available
computer systems and e-mail accounts to each member of the
participating families. Participating families will also mentor
another family to ensure all fourth-graders and their families take
part in the project on an annual basis. They will also receive
assistance in locating resources to purchase or build a computer for
home use and in securing Internet connections via a modem through
Alcorn State University.
Contact: Napoleon Moses, chairman, Department of Industrial
Technology, Alcorn State University, (601) 877-6482 or
nmoses@lorman.alcorn.edu.
Springfield, Mo. - Students as Citizens: Linking Families,
Schools, Communities and Universities to Enhance Learning Through
Technology
Partnership: Springfield Public Schools, Founders Park, the Greene
County History Museum, the Library of Springfield/Green County, and
Southwest Missouri State University Citizenship and Service Learning
Program.
Structure: Nearly 600 students will research the history of
Springfield from 1829-1929 using the Internet and traditional
resources, create a historical Web site, explore critical electronic
resources for links to the Web site and develop an electronic
portfolio for recognition of their accomplishments. The major program
goals include designing an innovative social studies curriculum that
uses technology, and linking university students/faculty with school
children, their parents, and community-based organizations to develop
the historical Web site.
Contact: Debra McDowell, director of citizenship and service
learning, Southwest Missouri State, (417) 836-4840 or
dsm259f@mail.smsu.edu.
Bozeman, Mont. - Making a Civic Investment in Montana
Partnership: Burns Telecommunications Center, tribal communities
in Montana, and Montana State University-Bozeman.
Structure: The program will utilize a variety of new communication
technologies to bring the nationally recognized JASON science
education program to the Native American communities in Montana. It
will establish groups of Native American student mentors who will
work with teachers, students in grades 4-8, tribal college faculty,
and community leaders in order to successfully incorporate the JASON
program. The program will also engage in service-learning activities
to promote community awareness and involvement.
Contact: Kathryn Tanner, director of Montana State University
Office for Community Involvement, (406) 994-6902 or
ktanner@montana.edu.
Upper Montclair, N.J. - Computer Learning Centers
Partnership: TEAM (Technology, Education, Access, and Mentoring)
and Montclair State University.
Structure: Montclair State University computer science students
will train community members to use the computers and software at the
three established centers - Hollow Day Care Center, the Unitarian
Church after school program and Day Nurseries, Inc. The centers will
serve approximately 400 low-income and/or minority children and their
families each year. The college students and tutors will also teach
children how to use the Internet to connect to Montclair's
library, museum, government offices and social service agendas.
Parents of participating children will be taught how to use the
computer to connect to school teachers and counselors to foster
better communication and involvement in their child's educational
progress. Children completing the program will receive a free
computer that has been donated to the United Way of North Essex
(another partner of TEAM) and upgraded by Montclair State University
students.
Contact: Richard Peterson, professor of information and decision
science, Montclair State University, (973) 655-7038 or
petersonr@mail.montclair.edu.
Dayton, Ohio - Patterson-Kennedy Family Resource Center
Partnership: Patterson-Kennedy Elementary School Family Resource
Center, and the University of Dayton.
Structure: The program will provide reliable, high-speed Internet
access, instruction and programming to the underserved school
children of Patterson-Kennedy Elementary School, their families and
the residents of Rubicon Park, which includes two of Dayton's
poorest neighborhoods. It will link new interactive learning
environments at the elementary school to the University of
Dayton's network. The elementary school will work with university
faculty to develop technology-enhanced classroom instruction,
especially in local and global citizenship. University students will
become on-line tutors and mentors, administer an on-line kids voting
program, coordinate an international pen pal exchange and share their
technical expertise. The center will be a source of enrichment,
self-esteem, and civic competency for elementary students, their
parents and their neighbors.
Contact: Richard Ferguson, director of Institute for Neighborhood
and Community Leadership, University of Dayton, (937) 229-4122 or
dick.ferguson@udayton.edu.)
Elkins Park, Pa. - The Beaver/Leeds Gifts Scholars Project
Partnership: Leeds Middle School and Beaver College.
Structure: Beaver College students will mentor low-income inner
city middle school students in computer technology instruction. The
instruction is structured through an existing scholarship program
that names 40 eighth-grade students GIFTS scholars because they
demonstrate academic potential but are otherwise at risk for dropping
out of school. The program provides 50 to 75 percent of tuition to
Beaver College, once a student is accepted.
Contact: Barbara Fleisher, assistant professor of education,
Beaver College, (215) 635-2061 or danfleish@aol.com.
Providence, R.I. - Mount Hope Technology History Program
Partnership: The Mt. Hope Learning Center and the Howard R.
Swearer Center for Public Service at Brown University.
Structure: The university center and the community center will
work together to develop a collaborative technology program that will
serve the Mount Hope neighborhood. The collaboration will enhance the
Mount Hope Learning Center's existing technology education
program; create a public history initiative in Mt. Hope; develop
useful, neighborhood-specific content for the Web; connect Mount Hope
residents with other educational and economic opportunities in the
city; develop literacy and visual arts programming and strengthen the
ties between the Mount Hope and Brown communities.
Contact: Peter Hocking, director, Swearer Center for Public
Service, Brown University, (401) 863-2338 or
peter_hocking@brown.edu.
Columbia, S.C. - Project Reflect
Partnership: Bethlehem Community Center C.A. Johnson cluster
schools and Benedict College.
Structure: The program will provide after-school tutoring,
mentoring and enrichment for elementary school students and their
parents based on the use of technology to research legends from the
local community. Community legends are people who graduated from the
cluster schools and went on to become notable in their fields.
Seventy students in grades K-5 will interview local legends.
Contact: Gwenda Greene, service learning director, Benedict
College, (803) 253-5253 or greeneg@benedict.edu.
Houston, Texas - Bridging the Digital Divide
Partnership: Advancement of Mexican Americans, a community-based
organization servicing low-income, under-represented populations
through the George I. Sanchez High School, and Houston Community
College-Southeast.
Structure: The program will initiate a new, dual-credit high
school/college computer technician and network certification
curriculum as an investment in youth and their families in one of
Houston's oldest neighborhoods. The program will enable students
to enter the workforce immediately if they are interested. Those
interested in seeking additional education will not have to repeat
entry-level classes. Additionally, as civic investment, youth will
volunteer five hours each week to community and technology-based
activities in their East End communities.
Contact: Helga Mattei, director of community service and
entrepreneurial programs, Houston Community College-Southeast, (713)
718-7506 or mattei_h@hccs.cc.tx.us.
Hampton, Va. - Life Skills and Mentorship Program
Partnership: Hampton city schools and Hampton University.
Structure: The program will initiate a technology training and
application certification program designed to provide essential life
skills to a specified population of high school students as part of
their continuing education curriculum. Four hundred Hampton
University students will serve as mentors to 200 at-risk youth in the
community. The youth will receive valuable instruction in the use and
application of standard office technologies. Those include hands-on
training in labs equipped with the latest interactive multimedia
technologies and will include paper-based, computer-based and
web-based materials. Participants will have opportunities to directly
apply acquired technology skills and knowledge in a controlled
setting through campus-community work study programs.
Contact: Debra White, assistant provost for technology, Hampton
University, (757) 728-6988 or debra.white@hamptonu.edu.
Spokane, Wash. - Native American Outreach Program
Partnership: Wellpinit School, Nespelem School, and Gonzaga
University Department of Biology.
Structure: Gonzaga University biology students and faculty will
travel to tribal schools where they will work with tribal leaders and
teachers to engage K-12 students in exploring science. They will
perform experiments on the environment, testing water and soil
quality. The Internet will allow biology mentors to keep in contact
with the students when they are not on-site - sharing stories and
research. In addition, teachers from the tribal schools will travel
to Gonzaga to conduct research with faculty in an effort to build a
science curriculum for their schools. The students will also visit
Gonzaga's campus for several days each semester, stay overnight
in the dormitories with their hosts and tour science labs.
Contact: Robert Prusch, professor of biology, Gonzaga University,
(509) 323-6621 or prusch@gonzaga.edu.
