High School ANGELS Bridge the Digital Divide

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High School ANGELS Bridge the Digital Divide
By Wendy Dubit
Executive Director
HEAVEN -- Helping Educate, Activate, Volunteer & Empower via the Net

"Computers won't change the world. People will! But computers are the tool we'll use."
-- Miles Senower, ANGEL

Sixty percent of all new jobs are information technology-related. With the digital divide deepening along education, race, and class lines, HEAVEN was launched in 1997 in order to provide communities and schools with the technology training and tools they need in order to succeed and lead. We created ANGELS – America’s Network of Givers, Educators, Learners and Servers – a computer, career and community service program for high school students – and have rallied the computer, communications, education, nonprofit and entertainment industries around this effort.

ANGELS in Our Midst
Our after-school and summer programs, accredited by the New York City Board of Education, are designed to boost students’ academic performance, prepare them for the future workforce and contribute to the community. High school ANGELS are trained in multimedia and journalism skills by licensed teachers and industry leaders. ANGELS then use these skills to publish issue-oriented Web pages that encourage meaningful dialogue and positive action.

ANGELS receive academic credit in computer science or community service. Upon completion of their coursework, they are placed in stipended summer internships with companies like CitySearch.com, USA Networks, Jupiter Communications, and the New York Times Online. Experienced ANGELS remain involved as mentors for incoming groups of ANGELS and as cyber-journalists, covering social and political events, interviewing role models, and publishing reports on America Online (AOL) and the Web.

Results Speak
Over half our internships have led to paid, part-time positions, even though no ANGELS have yet graduated from high school. We are now in the process of establishing a scholarship fund for graduating seniors who have used their computer skills to benefit society.

ANGELS enroll teachers and help teach them. Our professional development components enable teachers to use and infuse technology more effectively throughout their schools and curricula. ANGELS’ curricula for students and staff are posted online to further encourage dialogue and adaptation.

Talk To Us
ANGELS can work for and with your nonprofit, community or school. We want to hear from you about:

Sponsoring organizations of prospective participants (New York City Board of Education’s Alternative Superintendency funds kids only from those high schools. Others need funding sources.)

Organizations that want to receive ANGELS interns or graduates.

Organizations, schools and communities in need of our services and programs and those who might help us promote them.

ANGELS recently received a Computerworld/Smithsonian Award for its innovative use of technology in education. For more information on the program, contact HEAVEN, 888 Seventh Avenue, 19th Floor, New York NY 10106. E-mail WDubit@aol.com or InHEAVEN@aol.com, telephone (212) 965-9056. Access ANGELS’ Web pages on AOL via keyword HEAVEN, or on the Web at www.heavens.org.

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Interns & Volunteers....
New York Cares: Bringing Volunteer Technology Expertise to the City's Nonprofits (March, 2003)

Intergenerational Technology Initiative Seeks to Bridge the Digital Divide (April, 2001)

New York New Media Association and its New Media Internship Program (July, 2000)

VolunteerMatch: Volunteer Recruitment for the 21st Century (July, 2000)

Harvard Business School Alums Provide Valuable Volunteer Consulting (May, 2000)

Building Electronic Bridges to Connect Mentors and Young People (December, 1999)

High School ANGELS bridge the Digital Divide (June, 1999)

Tech Volunteers Available for Free Consulting (April, 1999)

Other Articles of Interest....
Building a Bridge Across the Digital Divide (November, 2000)

TECH-U-NET: Providing Technology Guidance to Nonprofits (November, 2000)

Educational Opportunity Centers: Adult Workforce Preparation and Academic Development (July, 2000)

LEGIT: Training Teens for Better Futures (March, 2000)

Communities Becoming LINCT in New York City (August, 1999)

School-Based Technology Volunteer Program Helps the Disadvantaged... (August, 1999)

New York Cares Launches Partners in Technology Program (April, 1999)


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