Today I will facilitate another Scholarship Workshop in the computer lab at Diamond Lakes Library. Wednesday's workshop was fun, everyone learned something new and students connected with others they may not have met on the street.
We run through a Google Presentation that is shared with the public and participants can view it at their own pace before, after, or during the workshop and for those who cannot physically visit the library, the chat function in presentations is used. I provide them with a printed handout that is also available through Google Docs and ask them to share any golden nuggets of what is working or has not worked for them. This document is updated by participants so it is a continuous project. So this post is used to document lessons learned and consolidate the resources.
We also walk through the library to see the options of printed books, from the reference section of books that do not leave the library to the library books that range from college life to tests available/required for career and college options that can be checked out. We also point through the glass of the available study materials that can be checked out and used in the library.
It was 2 years ago that I gave my last workshop at the library before transitioning to North Carolina. My local library was also one of my first stops when I returned to Georgia. While I was glad to see the library offering free wi-fi and basic computer classes during the day, I was sad that no one had picked up the Google products and Scholarship workshops even though all materials used are available on the web and printed copies were left with the library.
So what did we learn?
Everyone shared something and everyone learned something new.
Everyone was registered through GACollege411 and Fastweb.
Everyone has a resume but not available online.
Everyone used Google to see what is associated with their name and screen names used on other sites and viewed the web results, images, news, and maps.
Everyone understands that competing for scholarships is as challenging as competing for jobs.
Almost every scholarship source has some type of social media connection.
School counselors still do not provide information to students that dual enrollment is an option during high school.
Google Alerts
Google Books
Google Voice
That volunteering can lead to a real job.
We (as a community) lack support and encouragement for our young adults in the tech world at the local college and high school levels.
I limit the workshops to one hour and it seems to be the quickest hour of my day, even after a long day on the job with our service members in the professional military education (PME) system. I stay afterwards for those who have additional questions or recommendations or to just use my library for the many resources available. This time I am giving the participants a printed copy of the Tech Sharing gift certificate and a challenge to share what they learned with a friend, a parent, a neighbor and to return to the library to do it.
The follow up emails, texts, and voice mail messages are what keep me going back. I believe in our replacements, regardless of their computer skills, race, sex, age, national origin, religion, ability/disability and/or sexual preference. Regardless of how you feel about a younger generation, you eventually will be replaced. What is your continuity plan as you look to exit a position, a community, or life? After you are gone, it is the difference you made represented by the dash in between the date you entered the world and the date you expire.
The Dash by Linda Ellis
The story behind the poem
Movie Time: 2:47
A Teacher's Dash
A Mother's Dash
How are you making the difference in your replacement's life?
Comments, recommendations, and/or check the block of the Reaction boxes are always welcome.
Presentation for the Scholarship Workshop - Feedback is encouraged.
Recommendations, links to blogs, people to follow on Twitter are welcome. The workshop is open to the public and will be held in the computer lab at the local library. A
shared document is provided. This document is a collection of sites, tips, links, references from previous workshop participants. Please add your favorites to the list as this is the shared public document.If anyone would like to participate in the back channel conversation, please join us on 12/3, 12/10, or 12/17. During the workshop we take a break and venture through the reference section and the 370 series book shelves for those who prefer the books over the computers. The audience ranges from traditional students and their parents to the rest of us who are considered non traditional students.
During the month of December, I conduct scholarship workshops at the local library in the computer lab. This workshop is not limited by age, student grades, or any other screening factor our students may encounter as they age out of the school system. If parents come with their student, the student gets seated at the computer, parents and guardians sit behind their student. This workshop is about empowering the student. No parent is excluded, participative parenting is encouraged. Sometimes parents return to college at the same time as their young adult student.After our introductions, we review the presentation using Google Docs, discuss creating a MeFolios, GA College 411, answer questions together, then go out into the library to the reference book section about colleges, scholarships, certifications, internships, and apprenticeships. We also visit the 370 series where books can be checked out and taken home to read for those who prefer to avoid the computer and have a library card. This year the Scholarship Workshops will be held at Diamond Lakes Library on Wednesdays in December. December 3, 10, 17 2008.People ask, "Why in December"? Why not? The holidays are here, school breaks are in December...but only for those residential F2F (face to face) schools. You see...I am a non traditional online graduate student and a parent. Looking for supplemental college funds is just another part of our lives, whether school is in or out of session. There is not one particular time of the year that is better for us, but I remember wishing someone would have provided this opportunity for us. I have sat in scholarship workshops where some adult read the FAFSA form to me, read a PowerPoint presentation to me, or limited my participation because of my daughter's age. I decided to create a participative computer workshop. The public schools wouldn't let me in or the ones that would blocked Google docs and other sites we needed to visit, so I found a fit for everyone...our local library. Wi-Fi is even available at this library, so when the computer workstations are full as they usually are, Wi-Fi is available for everyone with a smart phone, a net book, or a lap top/notebook.Another reason the workshops are in December is to encourage our students and parents to discuss taxes. Students apply for scholarships and colleges. When they fill out the FAFSA, online or print version, there is a section about parents' income. Parents be real with your young adults. They may have qualified for free or reduced lunch while in public school and while maintaining that status in high school also provided free or reduced SAT testing fees and waived some college application fees but it is time to be real with your students.Students in high school today need to know about insurance (medical, dental, life, auto), what happens when they turn 18, what do they do if something happens. While our young adult's age may put them in a legal adult status so they are can apply for student loans, fill out credit card applications, vote, and/or join the military, turning 18 doesn't make you wise beyond your years...it just makes you legally responsible for your actions. For some young adults turning 18 brings on the real world school house, the school of hard knocks, or a gateway to military freedom. So parents, guardians, grandparents...take the time to connect with your young adult, share your lessons learned and listen to their concerns.So if you are in the area...stop by the library. And if you are not in the library, you can stay at home, register for the workshop by calling the library and we will share the presentation with you as a dL* participant. If you have lessons learned that you would like to share, please do. As usual, your comments, suggestions, recommendations are always welcome.*dL - Acronym from the Army for distrubutive learning with an emphasis on the capital L for learning and less focus on the transition of the d from distance to distributive.
