*The DuBois Center
The DuBois Center is in the middle of a low resource community in NE Wake Forest. Many of the families cannot afford to own a computer, let alone internet access. Through the use of donated computers, the center has built a computer lab that serves several generations. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, young adult students in Wake Technical Community College classes use the lab to learn keyboarding skills, search the web for a job, and prepare resumes. Students have varying skills levels but can use the GFC tutorials, or the assistance of their teacher. In the evenings, the site serves as a Communities in Schools tutorial program for students ages 6-18. After completing homework, they use the computers for term papers, research or just for fun. On Saturday mornings, senior citizens use the computers to learn how to do word processing and access the internet to communicate with their children and grand children. A volunteer teaches a six-week class that rotates into more advanced classes. In addition, deserving students have been given upgraded computers when completing their GED and enrolling in college.
Dustin's GreenHouse
Dustin's GreenHouse surveys areas lacking access to technology and moves quickly to address the needs this absence creates. They have donated dozens of laptop computers to students in Guilford County and organizations like Open Door Ministries and a Hispanic Daycare in High Point, NC. Most recently, they donated eight new computers, a laser printer and internet service to the Macedonia Family Resource Center. This lab now serves as a training ground for people in the community.
They are also donating time and expertise to create class outlines, such as a six-week job readiness program set to begin in March. This class provides resources and training needed to prepare individuals for work in today's high-tech society.
*GCF Global Learning
GCF Global Learning®, a program administered by Goodwill Industries of
Eastern North Carolina, provides free, beginning computer training to
anyone who is interested in enhancing their computer knowledge at the
GCF Global Learning® Center in Raleigh, N.C. and through the Internet at
www.GCFLearnFree.org.
As a free resource, GCF Global Learning® aims to foster learning independence
and a life-long learning
mentality by providing a variety of self-paced and instructor-supported
courses in Windows, Office,
Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, and Internet, Email and Computer basics.
And as an additional resource,
GCF Global Learning® also offers equivalent Spanish courses at
www.GCFAprendaGratis.org.
This organization has been in existence since 1989 and has been able to
serve over 1,593 learners through its
learning center and 488,213 learners through its Web site, which was created
in 2000.
Internetworkers
Internetworkers is a group of people in the Triangle interested in information technology and related issues. The group meets once a month for socializing and maintains an open mailing list. Participants have been receiving technical advice, networking for job opportunities, and making friends for more than five years. Michael Thomas and Thomas Beckett have been our main organizers, devoting their time to planning gatherings and maintaining the group.
North Carolina Women United
North Carolina Women United, an all-volunteer effort, is a coalition of more than 30 groups working to improve the lives of the women of North Carolina through public policy initiatives. NCWU works to build women's power through grassroots activism, community organizing, legislative advocacy, and engagement in the political process.
Without technology infrastructure, its programs simply could not have been implemented.
Here are some examples of NCWU's technology use:
* Online document distribution through the web site
* Online event registration through the web site
* Information sharing through e-mail lists
* Distributed maintenance of online content
South Piedmont Community College
South Piedmont Community College's Digital/Internet Literacy Training program provided training to 1,483 dislocated or under-employed workers through 155 classes in the two- county region of Anson and Union counties from July 2002 through June 2003. Anson County is a rural Tier 2 county with high unemployment and plant closings have become commonplace. Furthermore, the area is experiencing difficulties attracting new industries and businesses because the labor force is highly unskilled and lacks technological training to advance into the 21st Century. South Piedmont Community College’s Digital/Internet Literacy Training program is and has been at the forefront of helping its communities gain these technological skills.
Class are held in rural communities, such as Burnsville at the Burnsville Family and Learning Resource Center in Anson County, and at the shelter for battered women (Turning Point) and the homeless shelter (Union County Community Shelter) in Union County.
SPCC provides training on-site at the department of social services and also provided Digital/Internet Literacy Training to 43 department of social services employees. SPCC also provided Digital/Internet training for 15 of our partners in the JobLink Career Center.
Students In Training – Coach Charlie Patton
An 8th grade student from Sacred Heart School in Salisbury was able to pass
the A+ core test because of Mr. Patton's efforts, by way of his classroom
and hands-on training of computers after school. He has a non-profit
organization to accomplish his and Patrick Billing's, cohort, goals for the
middle and high school student through college and adult mentors working
with non-profit, educational units, and governmental agencies via "Students
In Training (SIT)." For nearly 3 years, SIT has and is presenting under-privileged students and others (via Rowan County Department of Social
Services) rebuilt and /or refurbished donated computers. These PCs come
mainly from or through community and Scared Heart School's PC Repair
Classes.
SIT's general website, which is underdevelopment, can be found at
www.studentsintraining.org and student training is located at http://www.studentsintraining.org/teachme.
*TelAbility
TelAbility is an innovative healthcare delivery system that increases the quality and accessibility of health care services by utilizing telecommunications technology to overcome existing geographic, temporal, and physical barriers.
TelAbility provides telehealth consultations that take place at handicap accessible, community-based sites where children and parents are already receiving services from familiar, local providers. This significantly reduces the need for long trips to an academic medical center while facilitating communication between care providers, decreasing fragmentation of services, and increasing continuity of care. “Virtual Clinics” allow service providers to care for children at multiple sites across the state via Internet videoconferencing with ‘push-button’ convenience. Translation can also be provided by virtual interpreters to increase access and improve quality of service offered to Spanish speaking families.
TelAbility provides web-based health care information (in English and Spanish) to families, childcare providers, and therapists based on needs identified by them.
Winston-Salem State University Community Knowledge Centers
The Winston-Salem State University Community Knowledge Centers (CKCs) use advanced technologies to demonstrate and teach the benefits of community uses of technology to deliver effective educational programs and activities. In addition, the project provides continuing access to information technologies to community institutions and citizens.
Sites have been established in several African-American churches and one African-American and Hispanic church, a homeless day shelter, and a Weed and Seed housing complex. Each center is equipped with 6 – 10 computers and staffed by volunteers. These sites are available to approximately 25,000 citizens from kindergarten age through senior citizens.
Partnerships with the
Winston-Salem State University Center for Community Safety, WinstonNet, the S. G. Atkins Community Development Corporation, and the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools have helped to make the vision an ever-expanding reality. Current expansion plans will allow the centers to serve an additional 75,000 underserved citizens in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
Women’s Center of Fayetteville
The Women’s Center of Fayetteville’s Community Technology Center (CTC) has provided access to computer technology and training to low-income and underserved populations of Cumberland County and the surrounding area. The CTC has served as an educational and training resource by offering individuals and groups services to help participants’ increase their education levels, improve English literacy, build computer skills and strengthen job-readiness skills.
The Women’s Center’s CTC program served over 250 participants in 2003 by providing software, equipment and instruction to participants that would not have had access to otherwise. The extended hours of operation of the CTC was a positive influence in helping participants reach their goals. The combined efforts of classroom instruction and individual tutoring allowed the staff to create a learning environment that best suited each participants’ needs.
*Topsail Technologies, Inc.
The particular activity that qualifies Topsail for this award is their architecture design of Polyglot v2.0 software. Polyglot is a Multimedia Medical Spanish Translator program intended for use by first responders, such as emergency medical service providers and other health care providers, who work with Spanish-speaking populations. Polyglot contains over 3,100 key medical words and phrases in both text and audio. Polyglot enables the provider to learn Spanish words and phrases that will help them quickly and effectively communicate with their Hispanic patients. Topsail developed this software in cooperation with Duke Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program. The original version of Polyglot software, while great in concept, was prohibitively cumbersome which greatly diminished its effectiveness. Topsail took the original concept and completely redesigned the application in an open architecture, so that it could run on a variety of platforms (Windows, MAC or web-based). The product of Topsail’s effort has been placed on CDs and was successfully deployed last fall to first responders, emergency medical staff, providers at local health departments and community health centers throughout North Carolina. Due to the overwhelming growth of the Hispanic population, health care providers have found this CD extremely useful in learning basic Spanish. With the web-based version and the CD format, Topsail has made the program accessible to providers either within their clinic settings or in the field. Topsail Technologies, Inc.’s efforts in this project and the positive impact the Polyglot CD will have on the community make them very deserving of recognition for the RTPnet award. Thanks to Topsail, we were able to make Polyglot functional and usable in rural NC communities that lack access to interpreters and staff with limited Spanish language skills.
White Street Computers
Don Rich has been in business at White Street Computers in Wake Forest for over 10 years. He services major customers in the area but still finds time to assist our non profit in setting up a computer lab to serve students in a low income area of the county. Don and his business partners have supported the DuBois Center by providing technology services and hardware equipment at cost. Don has put in over 1100 hours terminating lines, checking out and repairing hardware, installing peripheral equipment, installing software, and even setting up educational games on computers for youth. His patience and commitment to our project has been an example of what businesses can offer to small nonprofits that struggle to exist.
His commitment to serving the underserved and needy has been a benefit to our program. His work the past two years has helped to provide our youth with internet access on modern equipment.
*802Link Inc.
In 2003, Mark Spencer, president of 802Link, originated the idea of providing free high-speed wireless Internet access (WiFi) in downtown Mount Airy, N.C. Spencer was inspired by a community-development study that said the area needed more Internet access and that the city needed ways to distinguish itself from other communities seeking economic development.
Spencer contributed his expertise in setting up WiFi access points. The Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce endorsed the project and Downtown Mount Airy Inc. agreed to underwrite the operating expense for the first year. Another Internet service supplier, Trificient Inc., contributed its advice and provided access to its fiber-optic link. A downtown businessman, Burke Robertson, allowed his building to be used as a main antenna site. Other local businesses let repeaters be installed on their premises.
The system was unveiled with great fanfare in the community, which welcomed this sign of modernization and innovation. Laptop-equipped tourists tap into it and people routinely browse the net while hanging out in the Main Street coffee shops.
Paul Jones: Four Nominations.
(1) Paul Jones is an original Internet Cowboy, tirelessly promoting emerging Internet technologies. He put up the sixth web site in the country. Through SunSITE, then MetaLAB, and now via ibiblio, he has consistently demonstrated creativity and innovation and has always done it with wit and style.
(2) Paul has been a tireless educator in and promoter of the fields of new media, open source software, intellectual property law, and open-source information technology. The ibiblio project has served as an online public library and digital archive since the earliest days of the World Wide Web, and Paul's outstanding leadership has provided a shining example to students, academics, and organizers worldwide. He's a tireless campaigner for freedom of speech, the free flow of information, open source software development, and cultural education & preservation. He is a true Internet pioneer and the state of NC and the world have benefitted greatly from his efforts.
(3) Paul Jones' contribution to Open Access Archives is unparalleled. He has sustained and nurtured this commitment through ibiblio, a robust online public library. Paul's vision of a boundless virtual library that supports film, music, print and other multi-media formats is recognized as one of the best conceived and executed open access concepts available.
Paul serves as a wonderful ambassador for using technology to forward knowledge.
(4) Paul Jones has been invaluable to countless Media Arts organizations.
Paul has gone out of his way to solidify WCPE as a leader in classical streaming. He's pushed us into trying new formats as well.
He and ibiblio are an invaluable asset to WCPE, to Media Arts in North Carolina, and to everyone he comes in contact with.
*Mary Mehrer
Mary Mehrer is being nominated by the Durham Literacy Center for her extraordinary contributions of time, heart and technology expertise as a volunteer during 2003.
Mary Mehrer devoted a full year, more than 500 hours, to helping the Durham Literacy Center use technology to build its capacity to function effectively and to build our financial resources.
Mary's accomplishments include:
1. Writing an operations manual and leading a team of service-learning volunteers for "Books for Change," an online Internet used book sales project that operates almost entirely through volunteers and nets the Literacy Center more than $10,000/year.
2. Providing technical consulting and field testing of an innovative web-based career portfolio application.
3. Serving as an English as a Second Language volunteer tutor.
4. Helping us improve our internal operations and tech support, and providing ongoing coaching to staff members.
*Martha Ann Moore
In February, Martha Ann Moore finished her third and final year as an Americorps VISTA working for the Birchwood Heights community in Durham.
For the last two years she has been the only staff person at the Birchwood Learning Center. In partnership with John Avery Boys and Girls Club, she has run an after-school program at Birchwood. She also has acquired donations of furniture and updated equipment for the computer lab at Birchwood. Ms. Moore has agreed to stay around to finish the projects that have not been completed yet because of Birchwood's renovations.
Mark Pumphrey
I am enclosing the text of an article which appeared in our local paper last summer. It is, perhaps, not brief, but Mark has done much for community technology. I do not know of anyone in North Carolina who is more dedicated and deserving of recognition.
*Tom Savage
Thomas (Tom) Savage has been an invaluable resource to the Triangle area, helping numerous organizations, schools, and individuals to gain access to computer technology.
Currently, Tom serves as the volunteer Technical Director for the City-wide Technology Enrichment Program (CTEP) and Advisory Board Chairperson for Excellence By Choice Inc. (EBC Inc.) and its CTEP initiative.
Tom began volunteering with Excellence By Choice Inc. in 1996.
Thanks to Tom's countless hours of dedication and expertise, CTEP has been able to serve over 7000 residents at ten (10) Durham Parks and Recreation Department facilities.
Tom has volunteered to provide training for community service volunteers from the Triangle United Way - Teaming for Technology program, in addition to students at North Carolina Central University. Tom has also assisted John Avery Boys & Girls Club with their computer lab, as well as, helped facilitate workshops. Additionally, Tom has volunteered his time to help numerous local schools and churches. Tom also
currently serves as a committee member for the National Black Family Technology Awareness Week (BFTAW) events in the Triangle area.
There is no other individual more deserving of recognition than Thomas "Tom" Savage for his role in making a major difference in the community-at-large and the world.
Joseph N. Springer
Joe Springer is a volunteer’s volunteer.
At St. Ambrose Church, Joe has conducted a mentoring program for college bound students for more than 15 years, stressing math and science as a foundation for success. When The Colors of Collaboration received a donation of computers from Wachovia bank (then First Union) Joe rolled up his sleeves to get built in computer stations, wire the church for networking office and lab PC's and integrate his ongoing mentoring program into technology education.
Christian Stalberg
It is my pleasure and honor to nominate Christian Stalberg. For many years Christian has tirelessly managed the RTP chapter of Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility. He organized two public forums on privacy, one each at
NCSU and Duke. He maintains both the RTP chapter web site at www.rtp.nc.us and the email alert, with a regular stream of news about IT issues affecting individual privacy and civil rights. Christian works constantly and selflessly for the chapter and for the betterment of our community. He richly deserves this recognition.
Gayle Weddington
Gayle Weddington is currently a technology specialist at C.C. Erwin Middle School in Salisbury, North Carolina. As a teacher she is highly qualified and knowledgeable. My children and I have all benefited from her organized and thorough approach to teaching. Directions are presented in a concise, step-by-step manner. Her middle school students score well on the required computer competency test. She does remediation with students during the summer to ensure that they pass the computer competency required for graduation. As a facilitator she works with staff members to provide lessons integrating technology with their subject area. After teaching middle school during the day, she spends several afternoons a week training teachers from Rowan-Salisbury Schools in basic computer technology as well as new programs currently available.
Jerry Winegarden
Jerry has been a great help to me, Martha Ann Moore, in coming to my assistance whenever I need help with the computers at my site or any other site that I might be working at (even at short notice). Without Jerry it would be like not having my whole right arm at times. He has given me support and inspiration all through my three years as an Amercorps VISTA at Birchwood. I don't know how I would have made it without his support.