Google Recipes, tech integration, Grandparents Gone Wired

Have you tried Google Recipes? In February 2011, Google Recipes view launched in the U.S. and Japan. 
This link is for Recipe sharers who are webmasters

This holiday season would be a great time to digitize those family recipes, bookmark your favorites and annotate those food allergies. Remember...just because it is your favorite dish does not mean everyone else will like the dish you bring to the holiday get together. 

One of my favorites is Spicy Chicken Tenders. Of course a Google Recipe search brings up 135,000 results but I have the option to select filters by ingredients, cook time, and calories.

When I select No blue cheese, the options drop from 135,000 to 8,000 and selecting lower calorie options reduces the options dramatically.

So whether Uncle Joe is using a smart phone or Aunt Bessie has the latest tablet or the office party participants argue over which digital device is the best...integrate the technology by sharing the favorite recipes. Then let the discussion and demo session migrate to who has the best app and how are they using it for grocery shopping lists and annotating food allergies.

Because quality time is stretched thin during the holidays, throw in a free technology sharing certificate for everyone to dedicate one hour of one to one techspertise sharing.

If you are helping a family friend, grandparent, or a senior citizen in your neighborhood, develop your own tutorial and submit it to Do Something's Grandparents Gone Wired project by December 30, 2011. You could win a prize: an iPad, iTunes gift cards or a $500 scholarship.

As always, comments, recommendations, +1s, and reaction box checks are appreciated.

Thanks WRDW and Workshop follow up

The scholarship workshop in the computer lab went well. Parents, grandparents, and students were in attendance.

WRDW, the only local news station that also uses Twitter (@WRDW) sent out a reporter and a camera man.

I still cannot break the stigma that these workshops are for everyone who can maneuver through the Internet and not just for juniors, seniors, and adult or non traditional students. Scholarship searches and applications must start at a younger age.

Even the FAFSA site has a site dedicated for middle school students . As they state, "Sure, you can wait for your parents or teachers to provide this info. But why wait on others to learn what’s best for YOUR future?"

The shared document and presentation can be accessed by anyone on the net reading this blog. Just click on the links in the previous sentence. The documents were created with Google Docs and Presentations.

One example of a scholarship open to students with a minimum age of 13 from DoSomething. DoSomething.org has teamed up with Mountain Dew to offer six $5000.00 scholarships. Applications are due December 12, 2008 and winners announced in January.

For more information visit the DoSomething.org website to see some awesome opportunities for our youth from grants to support their cause to

Apply For Your $5,000 Scholarship!
Eligibility
All applicants must be 13 years old or over to enter, a U.S. Citizen, and, most importantly, awesome.
The scholarship money can be used for any advanced education, be it college, graduate or vocational. Applications will remain open until December 12th and winners will be announced in January.

The students checked their Internet impression by conducting a Google search of their name and viewing the News, Images, Maps and the search results. After the Google search, they entered their names in cvgadget.com and saw how their piece of cyberspace can be viewed by others. The point was made that if they apply for a job, a scholarship, an internship the pictures they put on MySpace or anywhere else on the net can be found even by library patrons.

We discussed a few social networking apps, everyone acknowledge hearing or participating in MySpace...but Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn had the heads shaking in a negative fashion.

Everyone was encouraged to apply for their free credit report through the Federal Trade Commission's site. You do not have to be an adult to be a victim of identity theft.

We discussed resumes, scholarship application letters, finding a minimum of 3 adults outside of family and friends that can write a valid letter of recommendation.

Then we stepped out of the computer lab and ventured over to the Reference section where the paper copies of the FAFSA applications and the many reference books about scholarships and colleges are available for those who want to read books that did not leave the library. Then over to the aisle with the 370 series of books where they can get books to check out which ranged from how to study, how to survive your freshman year, scholarships, PSAT, SAT, MCAT, LSAT study guides.

Back to the computer lab for more practical application, accessing GAcollege411 and searching for your Internet appearance.

I look forward to next week's workshop. I challenge our students to spread the word about what they learned to their friends, younger brothers and sisters, and yes, even their parents.

When a student has to fill out a FAFSA, parental information about taxes is required and many students have never filed taxes and may not be sure how to discuss the subject with their parents.

Other topics discussed encouraged the students to empower themselves, look into dual or joint enrollment while they are still in high school, qualifying for free and reduced lunches qualifies the student for free or reduced SAT fees and allows the student to apply up to 5 colleges with fee waivers.

I reminded them not to by into the media hype, they can Do It! I asked them all to spend as much time as they do surfing the net, working on their MySpace page, and invest a little time in themselves by registering for GACollege411, checking out the many links compiled in the shared document and if they needed assistance they knew where I would be for the next 3 Wednesdays.

If we do not invest time, interest, and concern in our youth...Who will be rocking your rocking chair in the future?

Feed the Need

This Fall DoSomething.org is teaming up with the new film "The Soloist,” coming to theaters in March 2009, to get young people across the country to help fight hunger in their communities and Feed The Need.

In “The Soloist,” journalist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) discovers Nathaniel Anthony Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a former classical music prodigy, playing his violin on the streets of L.A. As Lopez works to help the homeless man find his way back, a unique friendship is formed that transforms both their lives.

In the spirit of this film, high schools, middle schools, orchestras and church groups across the country are running food drives to help fight hunger and bring hope to communities in need. And you can start one too!

Submit your drive by December 15th and you could win some great prizes!
1 Grand Prize Winner:
A screening of The Soloist for your group
$1,000 to support an arts or music program of your choice
4 First Prize Winners:
$1,000 to support an arts or music program of your choice
And tons of great swag for runners up!

For tip sheets, online application, view the PSA with Corbin Bleu from High School Musical, and to check out The Soloist trailer go to Do Something Feed the Need.

Submit Your Drive
Fill out an entry form with all of the details about your drive. You can even submit photos and YouTube links to show us how much your drive rocked. All drives must youth-led (under 25) and completed by December 15th. Winners will be announced in mid January.

The Do Something Now Challenge

Put the texters to work for Do Something.
Powering offline action. Using the power of online to get teens to do good stuff offline...The Challenge:

We want you to power offline action in your community. Register your school, club, or town for the Do Something Now Challenge. From Sept 1 - Oct 15, recruit at least 50 friends and classmates to sign up for volunteer text messages and win.

We'll create a short code just for you:
For Example, if you go to Glen View High School your short code might be GlenViewHigh. You and your team recruit students to text GlenViewHigh to 30644 and sign up for Do Something Now.

Be creative! Make posters and flyers, shout out DS Now over the PA system, plan a DS Now concert.
The more people you sign up the bigger and better the prizes!

Prize Levels
50 Recruits: 20 SWAG Sets with Do Something pens, folders and notebooks.

100 Recruits: 20 SWAG Sets and 20 Do Something reusable ecobags.

250 Recruits: 20 SWAG Sets, 20 ecobags, 20 t-shirts, and a $100 pizza party.

1000 Recruits: 20 SWAG Sets, 20 ecobags, 20 t-shirts, a $100 pizza party,
AND 2 plane tickets to New York City for a Do Something Boot Camp!

http://www.dosomething.org/challenge