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?

The DD in Augusta

The Augusta Chronicle like many online news sources conducts daily polls on subjects ranging from A to Z. I use an RSS reader to subscribe to blogs, news, and tailored Google alerts.

As a military retiree who has moved in and out of Augusta, which coexists with the home of the Signal Corps, Fort Gordon, GA I am perplexed that this is the only city where I see growth in the population as well as the expansion in the digital divide...digital disconnect...digital separation.

I have blogged about living in a digital divide with a daughter who is one among many of the gadget girls growing up digital and a mother who is learning something new every week from listening to podcasts, texting, subscribing to blogs and news, working out with the Wii Fit, and many other learning objectives achieved while learning a new gadget, a new technique, or understanding a technical perspective.

Working with my daughter's high school and reviving BHS PTSA I saw an opportunity to connect teachers, students, parents, and community partners with no budget and created a newsgroup, a blog, website, and a MySpace. Like many parents of high school students I wanted to be involved without being labeled a helicopter parent and improve the negative press and statistics. I also understand that our young people will grow up and into the leaders of our communities, states, and global corporations.

I understand that this image below does not represent all computer users in Augusta. The informal poll demonstrates the participants use of social networking or as Vicki Davis, The Cool Cat Teacher, challenges us to rename it to educational networking. The Augusta Chronicle puts their spin on their media as any media organization does, but on any given day, you can see comments to articles referencing taxes, racial issues and there will be thousands of comments to an article. One positive article and maybe a parent or teacher will post a comment.

I understand that negative press sells but I also believe that inside everyone is the ability to resolve an issue by doing something. So as we reflect on our accomplishments of 2008, what have you done to improve your community? Practiced a random act of kindness? Said a kind word? As Ghandi is quoted, "Be the change you want to see in the world" and Aesop, "No act of kindess, no matter how small is ever wasted". As we all want, "Everything to be fine in 2009", what will you do to be one part of the solution to making things fine in 2009?

I have created a Ning to connect parents, teachers, students, community members as a collaborative web space. So if you would like to join, participate in discussion boards, share knowledge and experience, provide positive information, ask questions just request access to the RCSS Backchannel.

Poll from 11/21/08 Augusta Chronicle.

Presentation for Scholarship Workshops

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.