2002 Grantees : Project in Texas

Texas

Projects in Texas

Six cities in Texas were selected to help the Beaumont Foundation of America launch the program:

Beaumont
Waco
Laredo
Corpus Christi
Austin
College Station

Projects in Beaumont, TX

Headquartered in Beaumont, Texas, the Foundation naturally selected its local community for inclusion of pilot programs. The city, with a population of around 120,000, is the largest metropolitan area within an 80-mile radius.

Beaumont Independent School District (BISD) was recipient of computer equipment for four elementary schools, Blanchette, Dunbar, Fletcher and Martin. The district's theme, "Together We Can," involves campuses seeking to acclimate students, parents and community members to technology use. From "Grand" Parents basic computer training to a neighborhood technology festival, each school offers activities to enrich unique technology needs. Parents, grandparents and community members attend evening classes to build technology skills, Internet safety and knowledge about finance and health topics. Volunteers and mentors speak on topics such as "How to Balance a Checkbook Online" and "What to Look for When Buying a Computer." Students and participants may be inducted into a Technology Hall of Fame to showcase masterpieces at each site or rewarded laptop checkout privileges. Mobile laptop labs at each site provide sustained engagement for awareness and access to Web-based lessons, integrated curriculum teaching, after-school tutorial sessions, parental training sessions and skill attainment for students, staff and parents.

Art Museum of Southeast Texas serves 60,000 annually, and visitors use the museum computer lab to access art collections, resources and online information. The Foundation's gift upgrades lab equipment, which also complements Art-to-Go, a mobile outreach program; Art After School, a multi-visit program for 4th graders; and Odom Junior Docents, where 8th graders from this Title I school learn to guide tours for their school's 6th graders.

Blue Button:square The Beaumont Housing Authority, with 1,000-plus residents, supports and encourages residents to find independence. The resident empowerment program at Magnolia Garden's Learning Center emphasizes self-sufficiency, technology skills and job search techniques. Classes for children also are provided.

Salvation Army's Boys & Girls Club offers activities for children ages 6 to 18 who participate in after-school and summer programs at this nonprofit facility that serves thousands annually. An "Operation Connect" technology center under the aegis of national Boys and Girls Club of America, replaces antiquated, unusable equipment.

Boys' Haven of America, Inc. helps families unable to offer a stable environment for their sons during difficult times. More than 25 boys ages 8 to 16 live at the facility and receive counseling. Boy's Haven utilizes the grant to offer residents off-campus educational opportunies supported by the Beaumont Independent School District.

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southeast Texas, Inc.) has volunteers and staff use laptops to record information in the field on behalf of approximately 350 abused and neglected children annually. As a result, collected data can be more efficiently relayed to court officials and for use in court presentations.

Communities in Schools of Southeast Texas (CIS) was founded 10 years ago by business and civic leaders to improve graduation rates at schools and to produce an educated workforce. CIS works within local schools to assist low-income students and to involve parents in the process. Two elementary schools offer exciting, innovative programs.

Diocese of Beaumont's Hispanic Ministry administers Cristo Rey Church in a low-income Hispanic neighborhood. Its community technology center, staffed by volunteers, provides ESL and workforce development classes for parish members and the neighborhood population. Children also participate in a variety of classes.

Family Services of Southeast Texas houses a computer center in the agency's Women and Children's Shelter, a transitional residential program for victims of abuse and domestic violence. Children keep up with school work and their mothers have help acquiring technical and job skills.

Girls' Haven, Inc. is a residential center for girls affected by physical or emotional abuse. The facility's technology program features an "Empower Hour" for clients ages 8 to 17 to become computer and Internet literate with assistance from staff and community volunteers. Staff also can access online information related to clients' needs.

I Have a Dream serves 75 academically talented yet economically disadvantaged 9th grade students. Many can check out a computer under a mentor's supervision for research and advanced educational use while others receive tutorial assistance with problem school subjects in the office's computer lab. Local businesses are involved and participants receive scholarships to Lamar University.

Inspire, Encourage, Achieve (IEA)-Ben's Kids is a nonprofit organization providing educational and rehabilitative services to juvenile offenders ages 12 to 17. Working with the Jefferson County Juvenile Probation Center, approximately 50 children learn computer skills and maintain grade levels to advance beyond often oppressive circumstances.

Jefferson County Juvenile Probation Center provides incarcerated youth ages 10 to 17 with opportunities to learn or increase technology skills to keep up with school work in self-paced courses with supportive instructors. A partnership with IEA (see above) strengthens their resolve to stay out of trouble.

Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospital works with low-income patients in the Emergency Department to improve health literacy and reduce return visits. The Foundation grant allows the hospital to provide assistance with online tools so that patients can learn preventive measures as well as comprehend basic health care information.

Partners Resource Network, Inc., a small learning center, provides individual and group assistance for parents of children with disabilities so they can access information on programs, legal issues and relevant resources or to participate in online courses. Teenagers with disabilities use the Internet to help them manage and plan for their futures.

Salvation Army's Home Sweet Home Program provides a computer lab at this residential facility for formerly homeless families. Clients have access to technology, especially employment opportunities for adults and homework sessions for children. Staff and volunteers provide necessary training.

Southeast Texas Family Resource Center has a new multi-function family center serving 8,000 families in a predominantly African-American neighborhood. Within the facility, a technology center offers training on evenings and weekends. Volunteer-driven, the agency enjoys Junior League and area church support. YWCA targets low-income populations of all ages, especially the elderly. The technology program offers small, basic classes by certified instructors to help students overcome "fear of computing." Ativities are geared to build on life experiences and background knowledge in a wide range of levels.

All Saints Episcopal School sends students to participate in two community service activities. These students are teamed with 4th and 5th graders at the Southeast Texas Family Resource Center via the Internet. Activities include mentoring, tutoring and educational project development. In the second component, students are assigned to help residents of area assisted-living facilities use the Internet and email.

Lamar University's Department of Education will conduct an evaluation of the All Saints and I Have a Dream participants' use of technology incorporating kid-friendly surveys to gauge beliefs, attitudes and utilization by the approximately 100 students and their parents.

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Projects in Waco, Texas

The Waco Independent School District joined with the Rapoport Academy, The Community Training Center and Texas State Technical College to provide technology access to at-risk students, their parents and community members. Maximum utilization of laptops is one of the main goals of the program, which is titled WACO! - With Access Comes Opportunity.

Waco Independent School District's three highs schools, A.J. Moore Academy, University High School and Waco High School, plan to use their new technology to enhance academic classes in a number of ways as well as conduct training sessions in basic computer use for parents.

The Rapoport Academy's Raven Reading Research program utlizes technology for research projects with 4th and 5th graders. Three research projects are planned. Parents also are trained to assist their children to complete projects at home.

The Community Training Center approaches utilization of technology through after-school programs emphasizing math and language arts proficiency. This program supports the state curriculum and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Classes for parents and community members emphasize computer skills as well as literacy.

Texas State Technical College adds their Geeks to Go chapter to support the WACO! project. Students provide hands-on technical support at each site and offer assistance for equipment repair.

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Laredo, Texas

Laredo, the second-fastest growing city in the United Sates, is the most active center for import and export trade with Mexico. Within the Laredo Independent School district, however, nearly 98 percent of the student population is considered economically disadvantaged and most do not have computers at home. Community centers and schools receiving technology help address this issue.

Laredo Boys & Girls Club, serving hundreds of children daily, has a new "Operation Connect" computer center that is utilized to provide challenging, relevant educational and technological programs.

Larga Vista Community Center computer lab provides access to technology education for colonia residents and their children. Computers and laptops are accessible during regular operating hours, and equipment will be available for students during after-school hours, weekends, holidays and summers.

Santo Niño Elementary School works with students and parents to increase their knowledge in the use of technology. Parents may reserve laptops for home use to allow students to complete classroom assignments and/or multimedia projects. Once a month, teachers make home visits and model lessons or activities on innovative technology applications.

Senator Judith Zaffirini Elementary School serves 1,083 students, and 94 percent are economically disadvantaged. In addition, more than 800 are limited English-speaking students participating in a bilingual program. The school works overall to improve reading skills, basic technology training and math skills. The program also involves parents and staff to improve proficiency of the English language.

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Corpus Christi, Texas

Corpus Christi Literacy Connection.com unites ten elementary schools, a branch library and a nonprofit organization in a region with a low-income Hispanic population. The schools are all Title I and serve families with an average income of $23,000 or below. The library's Greenwood Branch and in-house literacy council have the goal to raise literacy levels of students and adults.

Corpus Christi Literacy Council incorporates the Internet and software for reading, literacy and GED development, such as for the mother who wanted to learn English to keep up with her teenage son. Located in the library, the center offers a variety of software for Spanish-speaking populations, and library patrons have a card to check out computers as they would books.

The Corpus Christi Independent School District's elementary schools granted equipment are Carroll Lane, Casa Linda, Central Park, Crockett, Fannin, Garcia, Houston, Los Encinos, Menger and Oak Park. Students utilize computers to identify and analyze information from academic Internet sites for research to develop multi-media projects. The granted technology is also used for Accelerated Reading Software to improve performance on the District's Academic Standards.

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Austin, Texas

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capitol Area offers an "Operation Connect" center as part of the Foundation and BGCA National Collaboration. The agency serves more than 2,000 youth, most of whom are minorities from single-parent homes with incomes below the federal poverty level.

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College Station, Texas

Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M University will direct three major educational efforts addressing educational needs of first- or second-generation immigrants in El Paso County, the Rio Grande Valley and Houston. Extension educators equipped with wireless notebook computer will enhance learning activities within ongoing educational programs.

El Paso County uses computers to develop technologically up-to-date support for first-generation adult immigrants, displaced workers and parents of school-age children. Classes are in English and Spanish.

Lower Rio Grande Valley programs have volunteers conduct training sessions, lesson series, awareness seminars and general public relations outreach by teaching adults and youth in inaccessible areas and colonias. Specific topics include locating Spanish-language Web sites focused on learning life skills; acquiring basic computer skills; building self-sufficient families including job skills, immunization schedules, family financial management and menu planning.

Houston will have mobile labs to support 4-H and Youth Development programs in Harris County, the state's largest metropolitan center. One of the programs, for example, the Cylinder Gardening program, teaches plant growth from seed to harvest.

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