Thursday, June 27, 2013

Everything Starts as Somebody's Daydream - the story of E2D




      If you are reading this right now, you are probably one of the fortunate 77 percent of Americans with computer access in your home.  You were probably checking e-mails, streaming Pandora, and scrolling through facebook when just happened to stumble upon this lovely girl’s blog.  All throughout the year we peruse the digital constructs we build for ourselves, but while you and I were playing and posting on social media luxuries there is a woman without a computer struggling to make it by in the town of Cornelius, North Carolina. She has three school-age kids and a baby, and she takes all her children to the public library four times a week to use a computer just so they can complete their schoolwork.  There is a family in Davidson who can’t afford to send their 11-year-old to a summer activity program because of the high internet bill they pay for their shabby, outdated computer.   There are middle-schoolers and high-schoolers who can’t type their papers or do their research like their teacher asked: mom’s at work and they need to watch their younger siblings.  There’s a little boy in the second grade who can’t identify the leaves he collected in the backyard for his science class assignment because his family doesn’t have a computer, and even if he could access one, his parents don’t have any computer skills with which to help him.   The other kids show up to school with pretty posters of their leaves and descriptions from encyclopedia.com.  This little boy has a couple unidentified leaves in a plastic bag.

Some people look at the growing influence of digital technology and only lament over what it has done to our culture and communication.  And yes, we should probably all spend a little less time on facebook.  But for these families, this divide is not a matter of luxury.  It’s a matter of necessity.

While the digital world is booming, more and more of the adult world is being loaded online.   Electronic mail.  Banking and bill paying.  Job searching and applications.  News.  College apps and info.  Continuing education.  In the child’s world, and increasing number of schools expect students to utilize computer and internet resources for homework assignments beginning as early as elementary school, to the detriment of a fair percentage of students in many areas.  Economically disadvantaged kids in Davidson pass grade level at a rate 30-35% lower than their non-disadvantaged peers.  Many simply don’t have sufficient access to the tools to succeed.  And with computer and internet prices today, this one most crucial tool for upward mobility is often only available to those who have already been upwardly mobile.

Most of us didn’t notice. We were logging in, linking in and checking out.  But one 13-year-old girl in Davidson thought something was very wrong here.

After noticing some of her classmates face this struggle and fail to complete their homework, Franny Millen brought it up to her family at the dinner table and decided something needed to be done.  Her dad scoured the town for a board of volunteers dedicated to their local schools and educational equity, and E2D - “Eliminating the Digital Divide” - was born. This all began around January of this year, and since then they have raised almost $40,000 dollars through community donations, grants and even lemonade stands, and have collected a slew of computers via personal and corporate donations.  By the end of the summer we will have installed wireless internet and new laptop computers in the homes of all Davidson Elementary families without computer access, and will also have provided them with computer skills training conducted by Davidson students.   But believe me, it doesn’t stop there.

I heard about this project through the Civic Engagement center at my college, and I came back to campus in June ready to hop on board E2D as their summer intern.  I had only a faint idea of the breadth and impact of what had been started.  In addition to engaging the College in this effort, E2D has partnered with the Ada Jenkins Center to implement the program, a center for human services, health services, crisis assistance and educational support. I have been working with Pat Millen, Davidson College's Civic Engagement Center and Ada Jenkins to identify these people in the community, process their information, set them up with discount internet service, and design the training that they will receive when they are given their computers at the end of august. Not only have I gotten to learn about all the amazing services the Ada Jenkins center offer, sparking an interest in social services, I have gotten to meet incredible community members, volunteers and professionals who are all passionate about service, empowerment and equal opportunity for the next generation.  E2D is now looking ahead to expand the project beyond Davidson and Cornelius, setting sights on the future digital divide solution for all schools in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system (the 16th largest system in the US…!!!!)

So there's one more kid who can complete his assignments on time and get caught up in school, and  one more kid who can go to summer camp.  One more mom who can save the time and energy of taking 4 kids to the library 4 times a week as she tries to support them.  And  hopefully many more kids who will google all they can to learn about their own backyard.

Just today I came across a rather fitting quote: a man named Larry Niven said “Everything starts as somebody’s daydream.”  Even if you’re 13.  If there was ever a reason for teaching kids the power of imagination, this was it. 

Read this description from Founder Franny Millen – I couldn’t have said it better myself.    



Monday, June 10, 2013

Chronicles of Cute Things Bea Says

I currently get to spend my summer mornings catering to the whims of one precious blond two-year-old girl named Beatrice, who never fails to provide giggle-worthy quotes and entertainment.  Since, in her eyes, every little thing in the world is the most fascinating, amazing, ground-breaking thing in recorded history, encountering everyday items such as water bottles and bubbles with Beatrice becomes the next grand exploration of mankind. Behold Bea's grand adventures:

1. We were at the park, and as I was taking a sip from my water bottle and she saw the cap - she HAD to have the cap.  We then proceeded to screw the cap on and off...and on and off.....and on.....and off....for at least 15 minutes straight.

2.  She draws a massive blob of squiggles on her chalkboard, points to it and yells, "IT A SCARY ELEPHANT!" and gasps.

3. She picks a new favorite story from her Busy Busy World story book every day and makes me read it at least 6 times.  In a row.  I am pretty sure I could recite "Ukulele Louie" from heart by now.  Or as Beatrice calls it, "Ooo-ka-looo-eey."

4.  She sits in her high chair while I'm making her lunch and throws her hands in the air and shrieks, "I HAPPY,  I HAPPY,  I HAPPY, I HAPPY!!!   Haha.  I guess I'm doing something right.

So, in honor of the little sunshine girl...

Hello world.  I'm happy.  :)








Saturday, June 8, 2013

Just Catching Up

    Ladies and gentlemen, after a wonderful visit with my family for 2 weeks, I am back in the beautiful town of Davidson for the summer!  The plane trip back was especially exciting as always, because unlike the majority of the human race, I happen to love airports. ... You heard me right.  Yes, they are crowded and dirty and confusing, but everyone has a destination and a goal, the exciting potential of your voyage stretches out before you, and even within all the manic hustle, you might manage to catch a small moment of sincerity: a little smile from a child passing by, or a short story about someone's life journey.  When I was in Denver waiting for my next plane, I overheard a lady telling someone about her ranch where she teaches yoga and horseback riding programs.  Yoga! and Riding!!  2 of my favorite things!!!  Could it be true?  I awkwardly relocated myself in the terminal so I could get closer to ask her about it.  She just said: "Yoga is the science of self-actualization; horses are already self-actualized. They're just waiting for the rest of us to catch up."

There was the truth that I had felt for years, spoken by a lady I had never met in my life.  And this is why I love airports.


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