Youth Venture

Digital Divide: Breaking the digital divide through education.

Digital Divide came about after we talked to local public school teachers. We asked what their challenges were and what they thought was necessary to make their students become more engaged and interested in doing well in school. The reoccuring comment from them was that the students don't really see how a good education affects them and why it matters to them individually. There is not a stong link between what the students were learning in school and the workplae. Education is crucial, but if students are not interested and are not paying attention, it can go to waste. We wanted to merge the idea of technology education with a motivational program so students could become better prepapred for the workplace and understand that what they are doing daily at school can truly affect their future success in college or the workplace. Now that we knew the problem, we had to figure out what kind of program would help students understand the importance of education.
We decided to combine mentorship with hands-on training to excite and engage the students. Not only do students learn technology skills-- from how to even turn on a computer to web design and print publishing-- they also have positive role models in our volunteers. Our volunteers show an interest in the students' lives and that individual concern and attention can make all the difference between a student dropping out of school and a student graduating. Our volunteers help make this difference. After students learn the basics of the computer software, they get to test their knowledge first hand by creating pages of a magazine. This magazine contains how-to tips ranging from software tips to leadership 101. Students trying out their skills helps them refine their techniques as well as become more interested. The pages of the magazine also help teach their friends and family who read the pages and can learn from them.
Since Digital Divide's inception, we have expanded our programs to offer hands-on training, virtual training, consulting for educators, and more. Our next step is to virtualize our software tutorial and leadership tips magazine and make it into an e-newsletter that is available to everyone, globally, for free!