Archive for March, 2010
The IDOE Helps Announce the State Farm YAB’s $98,000 Grant to Net Literacy
IDOE Helps Announce State Farm YAB's $98,000 Grant to Net Literacy
Click on the image above (or click here) to watch the video of State Farm Insurance’s check presentation ceremony at the Indiana Department of Education. On February 22, 2010, Dr. Schauna Findlay, the IDOE’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction, helped by serving as MC at the presentation and explained the importance that the Indiana Department of Education places on financial literacy.
Student Vice President Will Petrovic said, “We sincerely appreciate the support of Dr. Findlay, and especially the support of Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett. We couldn’t be doing this without the members of the IDOE team that champion youths and financial literacy, including John Keller, Director of Learning Technologies, and Melissa Abriani, Division of College & Career Preparation.”
The video was taped by Net Literacy student volunteers from Thomas Carr Howe Community High School and edited by Will Petrovic. Phase I of the Financial Connects website, including the production of 20 videos with a financial literacy theme, were scripted and produced by 18 students representing six Indianapolis Public School high schools. Student Chief Technology Officer Brian Kelley and Student President Daniel Kent designed the functionality of and constructed the website. Lilly Endowment and Old National Bank funded Phase I of the Financial Connects program. Net Literacy plans to create a 30 minute video entitled “Financial Connects – the making of a youth empowered program” as this program is developed. Learn more about the IDOE’s Financial Literacy Standards by clicking here.
“The State Farm Youth Advisory Board brings youth empowerment around full circle,” said Student Chair David Johnson, a sophomore at Northwest High School. “Net Literacy was founded by middle school students and our board of directors is 50% comprised of high school and college student volunteers. State Farm has empowered a national Youth Advisory Board that is able to award $5,000,000 in grants to the over 1,000 nonprofits that apply for funding. While we received our grant only one month ago, this is a story about a student empowered State Farm Youth Advisory Board supporting a student empowered Net Literacy program. We’re grateful to State Farm and its Youth Advisory Board.”
The Clowes Fund Supports Net Literacy for a Third and Fourth Year
Clowes Fund
The Clowes Fund awarded Net Literacy $17,500 for 2010 and 2011 to enable Net Literacy’s students volunteers to provide computers that will impact thousands of youths. The Clowes Fund’s support has provided thousands of computers for dozens of nonprofits, classrooms, and computer labs. The Clowes Fund’s focus has been on Net Literacy’s Computer Connects program – a program that has efficiently repurposed more than 10,000 computers during the last few years. More about how the Clowes Fund is making a difference can be learned by clicking here.
Net Literacy’s more than 2,000 student volunteers are very grateful for the Clowes Fund’s continuing support, now totaling almost $50,000.
For more information, please contact danielkent@netliteracy.org
Updated Senior Connects Website Launched Today!
Thanks to the technical expertise of Net Literacy’s Chief Technology Officer Brian Kelley, an updated and refreshed Senior Connects website was launched today!
While the new website contains a nostalgic look to the past and includes the 2005 American and Canadian Senior Connects Board of Advisors, it also has added the following:
• Streaming videos of a Net Literacy “student” who in her early 80’s, learned how to use a computer and broadband through the Senior Connects’ program in 2003, through a series of videos, she explains how this experience has changed and empowered her life.
• Updated computer, Internet, and Email training lesson plans – including some training programs that have been translated into Spanish and Russian.
• FAQ that answer the question – how do I start a Senior Connects program in my own community?
Learn more by visiting the Senior Connects website!
Net Literacy’s Senior Connects program was referenced in the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Plan submitted to Congress last week. Learn more about Net Literacy and how the Digital Literacy Corps can make a difference by clicking on the links.
Please contact danielkent@netliteracy.org if you have questions.
One Story About How One Computer Made A Difference In The Life Of One Child
Net Literacy’s digital literacy corps has repurposed 10,000 computers during the last couple of years. We receive many notes of thanks from the organizations that receive the computers, and occasionally, it puts everything into perspective to understand how a computer can impact the life and success of a youth.
This email was sent by an elementary guidance counselor to a group of students that serve as Net Literacy volunteers and are working on a special initiative that obtains used computers from businesses, repurposes them, installs new software, and donates computers to schools.
Recently you worked on a computer that was to be given to a family in need.
Recently I was contacted by a mother who was in need.
She shared her story, and meanwhile, you worked away at a computer’s part, pieces, programs.
Her son, a fifth grader is teased a lot. He is a lot taller than the other boys and weighs a lot more. He has wildly curly hair, and even though he is really smart, when he says things out loud sometimes his voice sounds kinda gurgled, maybe it’s his nerves. His parents are divorced and it is not a pretty one. They fight-a lot! Not very civil, so sharing something is out of the question (like a computer). He also receives free or reduced lunch, which means money is extremely limited for his family. If he receives a simple assignment like, “tonight, go on the class website and get on spelling city. Print off at least one of the word scrabbles to share with your group tomorrow,” his mind has to go in over drive. Whose house am I at? If I am at Mom’s, there’s no computer, let alone internet, so we will have to go the library. Depending on what time Mom gets home from work and they have dinner and clean up, he then has to get the family to drive him to library and pay to have a page printed off. (that’s if there is even time left in the night to get there after the evening stuff required!) His mom called me to see if I knew of any way I could help. How many people need help like that?! Well, through the school district, I found Net Literacy, and learned that our high school had a Net Literacy chapter, and that’s how I found all of you!! And then, the 2 stories became one! and the people making this computer were able to create a huuuuuge relief for one kid who just wants to be as regular as possible. On his behalf, THANK YOU for taking your time to lovingly put this thing together. His eyes were like saucers!!
The school counselor
Department of Education Encourages Schools to Participate in Financial Connects Programs
IDOE Supports Financial Connects and Financial Literacy
TO: School Principals & Superintendents
FROM: Melissa Abriani, Division of College & Career Preparation
DATE: February 24, 2010
SUBJECT: Financial Connects Contest
Opportunity for classes to use project based learning to study financial literacy and compete for over 100 awards ranging from $250 to $1,000.
Net Literacy, an Indiana-based organization, has received a $98,000 grant from State Farm Insurance to provide a project based learning component for schools teaching financial literacy.
Using the Indiana Department of Education’s Financial Literacy Standards (http://www.doe.in.gov/octe/facs/IndianaFinLitEd-HighSchStandards.html), students and classes are encouraged to create videos and interactive games that correspond to the state’s 61 financial literacy high school indicators. The winning content will be posted on a national financial literacy website and prizes ranging from $250 to $1,000 will be awarded.
“I am proud that Net Literacy, an organization made up of Indiana students, successfully competed for
State Farm’s financial literacy grant. This is the type of service learning project that encourages
student success, and I congratulate them on this endeavor,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction
Dr. Tony Bennett.
Indiana Department of Education’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Schauna Findlay welcomed Net Literacy and State Farm on February 22 at a press conference conducted at the Department.
More information about the contest will be posted in the next two weeks at www.netliteracyalliance.org under the “Financial Connects Contest” tab.
Schools and educators interested in receiving updated information can register to receive emails on the Net Literacy website at www.netliteracy.org. Questions may be directed to donkent@netliteracy.org.
Bright House Networks Recognized by Hendricks County Commissioners for Increasing Computer Access
Published: February 26, 2010 03:00 pm
Duo teams up to make donation to shelter
By Ryan Palencer
DANVILLE — While Sheltering Wings is bursting at the seams with residents, Bright House Networks and Net Literacy of Indiana teamed up to offer the shelter a donation of computers.
“With the increase of our women, we need more computers,” said Maria Larrison, CEO of Sheltering Wings. “With the increase in numbers of our children, we only have one computer back there (for the teens). This will help us put one or two more back there so they can do homework, research, or whatever they need to do. We feel very blessed.”
Larrison learned about the opportunity when she was contacted by Don Kent, president of Net Literacy.
“Many years ago, there was a group of middle school students who decided they wanted to increase computer access and digital inclusion,” Kent said. “The first organization they approached was Bright House Networks. Bright House took a chance on kids, eighth-graders, who had passion. Ever since then, Bright House has supported us.”
Net Literacy is a student-run, all-volunteer, non-profit organization. In addition, students make up half of the board of directors. Bright House also has a manager on the board of directors to offer vision and guidance.
“Over the years, Bright House has provided enough funding that we’ve been able to create hundreds of computer labs and thousands and thousands of computers in Central Indiana,” Kent said.
One thing that Net Literacy and Bright House are known for is creating Internet safety videos and public service announcements.
Brooke Krodel, marketing communications supervisor for Bright House, said, “Being an Internet provider, one of our big pillars are the children. With net predators and all of that, it’s more important to educate them at a very early age on how to be safe on the Internet.”
Krodel said Bright House is pleased to assist local non-profit organizations.
“We look for worthwhile organizations in our service area who specifically are in need of computers to get net literacy,” he said.
Friday’s donation was part of a 45-computer donation to non-profit organizations in Hendricks County in the days and weeks to come. Due to that effort, the Hendricks County Commissioners at their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday are scheduled to issue a proclamation naming Tuesday as “Bright House Networks Day” in Hendricks County. Representatives of each of the groups receiving donations are scheduled to be in attendance.
ryan.palencer@flyergroup.com