Finally! Some Good News!

I was taught an old saying many years ago, that "if you don't have something good to say, then don't say anything at all". It may not always be the wisest lesson (because sometimes we need 'constructive criticism' ), but it does make me want to stay positive. Since my last posting a lot of bad things have happened, including hospitalizations, financial woes, and Michigan winter. I suddenly found myself too busy, and frankly, too depressed to write about what we will be doing when we finally get our AYV equipment. I was tired of saying that we will be 'creating with purpose' soon, only to have to accept that I didn't know when (or if) we were going to get the needed equipment. I often felt that I just wanted to shut down the clubhouse until I knew we had the needed hardware.


I was also taught that "this too shall pass", meaning that all days are not going to be good (in fact, some may be down right horrible), but if you make it through it, you can make the next day better, and future days even better. I figured I'd start back writing this blog when the AYV equipment arrived. I knew that like the cold and gloomy days of winter in the D, the bad days would eventually pass. I really didn't think that it would be almost four months. I'm glad I'm a patient person. I am now excited that after so many months, we have finally started getting the hardware needed for AYV projects. Yeah! I have longed for this equipment for nearly a year! I have spoken and written about it until I couldn't anymore. Now, we've received only a few of the requested items, yet, I feel like pulling out the 'hallelujah trumpet'! It is a great day, because, when it comes to technology, being patient is always rewarded with better, faster, smarter! Case in point: 1) our computers should have been ordered with Windows Vista, but because of a two month delay...we got Windows 7 (Yeah!); 2) our award to join Adobe Youth Voices included licenses for Adobe's latest creative suite; when we were notified of the award in February 2010, the latest was version CS4; when we received the award in April 2010, it was version CS5; and 3) when I placed the initial order for video cameras, I requested the HD Flips, I like the current ones we have in the clubhouse because they capture good video, but, I thought, wouldn't it be nice if they could take a memory card (increase their storage capability) and take digital stills of at least 3mp resolution. I knew the Flip couldn't do these things, so I started looking around and, low and behold! I found the Kodak Xi8. It costs less. It is HD. It can take a SD card up to 32 GB. It takes stills up to 5mp. It includes a HDMI cable. It has a built-in USB connector (like the Flip). It has a rechargeable battery. It is a real winner! I love it! It hasn't passed the test of durability, but I am confident that because it is a Kodak product it will hold up.


Another great addition to the clubhouse is our green screen. There are so many cool things that can be done through green screen techniques that I am really looking forward to learning and helping to create awesome projects. So, let's see if we can put some of your ideas into a movie. What can you tell the world about living in Detroit? How should you display your image? What are some of your concerns? Who do you want to impact with your story? Why are the things that you want, need or should have important? Let's keep in mind that our goal is the Create with Purpose and let's go make some great videos!

Happy New Year and Welcome Back!

I have enjoyed this holiday season. It is the most wonderful time of the year, eventhough we spend it in temperatures that I will never prefer. I always like to reflect on the real meaning of Christmas -- Christ and assess how God is manefesting in my life. It is the time when all computer clubhouses must complete an assessment report, so I must evaluate myself and reflect on the successes and failures experienced. I have always felt that the computer clubhouse is my mission from God. Although I know that I could be doing a million other things, it is one thing in my life that I feel I must do. I think about it every day and I pray on what can be done to make it better. I always think that I can do better. Consequently, the computer clubhouse is ever-changing. I am proud of some of the things we have achieved, but I am disappointed over many things, as well. This new year is bringing new changes to how we achieve the goal to Create With Purpose.


The year 2010 brought great achievements to the NWAC Computer Clubhouse. In addition to having our license in the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network renewed (a goal we strive for each year), we were also selected to participate in Adobe Youth Voices. As a newbie in the AYV project it has taken us a while to get up and running. We were able to successfully load the software on all of our computers. Unfortunately, it has been a great disappointment that we have not been able to purchase needed hardware to produce the type of awesome projects that Adobe CS5 is capable of creating. I have always said that hardware without software is just a paperweight, but software without hardware is just painful.

My attitude for 2011 is to think positive (and beg alot). I'm sure that we will eventually get the needed hardware. However, we are going to move forward on learning as much as we can about the CS5 Production Suite. It would be sinful to have these programs on all of the clubhouse computers and we not all work to learn them. We might have to use websites to see what could be done if we had a green screen, or a boom microphone, or HD digital video cameras, or, well there are lots of hardware devices that we could use. Not to worry, though, we will still learn a lot.


In addition to our AYV focus, I am mindful of the outstanding knowledge provided by Mr. Carl Ray. He has heightened my interest in working to improve ACT and SAT scores. I hope you were privileged to be in the clubhouse for Mr. Ray's visit in November, if not, you missed a great opportunity. He provided information about college-preparation, financial aide, HBCUs, and general knowledge. It was a great visit. He is always finding and sharing good information. I really thank him for telling us about ineedapencil.com. If you have not checked this site out, you should. It will become as important to this clubhouse as the Village.


Tying together ACT/SAT prep and projects for AYV gave me a new idea for a clubhouse project. I know that it is essential to know the meaning of many words to successfully take these tests. I found a great website by Dr. Steve Baba to help us increase our vocabulary. Dr. Baba points out that "vocabulary words are on the SAT, GRE and other standardized tests for a reason - people with better vocabularies perform better in college and later in life. If your vocabulary is weak, you will understand less. Your ability to express yourself is limited by your vocabulary - if your vocabulary is weak, you will be understood less. If you overuse simplistic words, such as "cool" or "great", people will be unimpressed. Even if you are a computer science genius, other computer science geniuses with better verbal skills will be hired and promoted ahead of you." I think that this will be a fun and rewarding project that will give us the opportunity to do mulitmedia. Get the instruction sheet from me when you are done reading this posting.

Welcome Back! Let's do clubhouse-related activities!

HBCU Tours - Great Experience

I had the pleasure to chaperone the tours of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Clubhouse members Marcellous, Reggie, James, and Shanelle were selected to participate. They received a 90% paid trip to visit the campus' of Spelman College; Morehouse College; Clark-Atlanta University; Alabama State University and Tuskegee University. The trip was organized by Mr. Carl Ray, whose company covered the costs of travel and accommodations for participants. This is a picture of NWAC clubhouse members in the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. We flew to Atlanta, Georgia and joined up with clubhouse members from throughout the United States. Our flight was delayed a few hours and the weather caused numerous delays and cancellations. When we arrived in Atlanta, there were people sleeping in the airport because they had missed their flight. Some of our group were already in the airport when we arrived. Although our flight arrived arround 11:00 pm, the last of the group did not get on the bus until after 2:00 am; by the time we got into our hotel room, it was after 3. We had to be at our first tour location at 9:00.

Thursday - Spelman, Morehouse & CAU

The girls toured the all girls college, Spelman, and learned about its dorm life, classes, buildings and organizations. Before going on their Spelman tour, the girls had the opportunity to briefly join the guys on Morehouse's campus. This was a rare honor, because Morehouse is an all-male college, but we (the girls) were a little early for our Spelman tour, so the guys were very gracious in allowing us to join them for a brief introduction of Morehouse, before their tour. We learned about the WELLs that define renaissance men:

1. They are well-read.
2. They are well-traveled.
3. They are well-spoken.
4. They are well-dressed.
5. They are well-balanced.

These WELLs should apply to girls, also. In fact, everyone should aspire to achieve these WELLs.

The girls went on the tour of Spelman; while the guys toured Morehouse. We all met up for lunch, which was followed by the tour of Clark-Atlanta. Everyone had the opportunity to go into a dorm room and speak with students about their college experiences. Following the tours in Atlanta we boarded the bus and traveled to Alabama.

On the way to Montgomery, Alabama, we were treated to a bonus stop at the Tuskegee Airfield. Mr. Ray gave a history lesson about the Tuskegee Airmen and their role in World War II. It was awesome to have this trip include this important piece of American history. If you don't know about the Tuskegee Airmen I hope you will investigate. It is important to know that it wasn't so long ago that African Americans were not permitted to participate equally in American society. There are still people today who believe that just because of your skin color, you couldn't possibly be intelligent. The Tuskegee Airmen proved them wrong and people like you are proving them wrong, everyday. Pictured here is Reggie next to a Tuskegee Airman Fighter Jet.

Friday - Alabama State and Tuskegee Universities

Our first school to visit was Alabama State University. We spent the morning at ASU and enjoyed lunch in their cafeteria. ASU is a state-funded university that offers associate's, bachelor's, master's, doctoral degrees and post-master's certifcates. We were all given a t-shirt and information bag before having three tour guides escort us around the campus. The girls were able to enter Bibb Graves Hall, a girls dormitory. (We learned that part of the history of this dorm is that it served as the home for Coretta Scott King and her daughters following the bombing of the King home in 1956).

The ASU campus is big and beautiful. It is located in the state capitol of Montgomery. This city is rich with the history of the civil rights movement. Each of the clubhouse groups were able to get their picture taken at a monument dedicated to the mother of the modern civil rights movement, Mrs. Rosa Parks. The encryption at the base of the monument reads "She sat down so that we can stand up". This was another great teaching moment. Pictured with the Detroit group are members from the Chicago clubhouse (from left to right: Antoine, Shanelle, Charles, Marcellous, Reggie, and James).

Before heading to Tuskegee University, we were treated to another bonus when we stopped at the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. This is the first church that Martin Luther King, Jr. served as pastor. The church sits on the corner only a block away from the state capitol. The church has long been a protector of Montgomery's African American community. It was instrumental in helping to establish the Alabama Colored People's University, now Alabama State University; and it is the location where the Montgomery Bus Boycott was planned and organized. Shanelle got her picture taken on the steps of the church.

The afternoon was spent visiting the George Washington Carver museum on the campus of Tuskegee University. We were able to view a short film about the life of George Washington Carver, as well as touch and take pictures of many of the amazing pieces of history associated with his life. We had a great time reading the list of over 100 uses that can come from the peanut. George Washington Carver was the first African American to graduate from Iowa State University. He was the first African American faculty member there, also. Booker T. Washington convinced him to come to Tuskegee to teach and continue his research. He was an instructor at Tuskegee for over 4o years.

We also received a tour through The Oaks, the home of Booker T. Washington and his family. It was awesome to see the inside of this gorgeous home. Another teaching moment came when we learned that the home was designed by architect, Robert Robinson Taylor, the first African American to graduate from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the number 1 technology school in world, according to US News and World Report.) Mr. Taylor was an instructor and designer at Tuskegee for over thirty years. He designed a number of the campus buildings, including the Carver Museum, which was initially the campus laundry. Equally amazing is that many of the buildings were constructed by students using bricks they made!

Saturday - Tuskegee University Open House

Friday was pretty awesome, but I think that Saturday topped it. We arrived at Tuskegee University for their Fall Open House. There was a full-day of events scheduled. It began with a Welcome Ceremony in the TU Chapel. There was singing, a skit, and the opportunity to hear from the Interim President and the Deans of each of the colleges and schools at TU. It moved from the Chapel to the gymnasium, where the entertainment included the band, cheerleaders, dancers, the ROTC, and Pan Hellenic presentations. It made me want to grab an application and sign myself up to attend this school. It was all that... and a bag of chips! Just ask Cello, Reg, JB or Shanelle! And it wasn't over. From the gym we went to the cafeteria and enjoyed a delicious lunch. We left the cafeteria and went to the football field where we watched the Tuskegee Golden Tigers beat the Kentucky State Thorobreds, with a score of 45 - 21. It was a great day at TU, U know!

We returned to Atlanta where we flew home the next morning. Carl Ray has been taking students on HBCU tours for over 20 years. He, once again, did an awesome job!

7 Years...and Counting!

The year our computer clubhouse opened was 2003. That same year, the Flagship Computer Clubhouse in Boston turned 10. We have a few years to go to reach my personal goal to achieve a decade, but I am so excited that we have reached seven! Seven is my favorite number! It has been prevalent in my life since the day I was born -- July 31. I was born on a Sunday and I was my mother's seventh child. My mother named me CAROLYN (her name, MALINDA, both have seven letters). I was born in a city (Detroit), in a hospital (Women's), on a street (Waverly), and went to a school (Willard); all with seven characters! If you think that's a lot, you should check out my list of 7 in my life. What is really amazing to me is that most of these things I had no control over! So it only seemed appropriate to celebrate the 7th anniversary of our computer clubhouse.

This was a great party that not only gave us the opportunity to learn about the history of the computer clubhouse, but it allows us to recognize the significance of having the only remaining computer clubhouse in Detroit. When we opened in 2003, there were three additional computer clubhouses that opened on the same day. Sadly, for the youth of this city, they are gone.

Since the NWAC Computer Clubhouse was awarded an Intel Refresh Grant last year, we were able to upgrade our hardware and software, and we are now ready to educate youth on using the latest technology tools. I am looking forward to seeing how you will design, create, invent and explore! Let's make some outstanding projects!

This picture shows Deonte, Mikayla, Selena and Donovan. They are all doing great projects in the clubhouse. Keep up the good work and remember to upload your best work to the Computer Clubhouse Village.

Clubhouse Closing

The clubhouse will be closed while I chaperone clubhouse members on the tour of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). We will be visiting Spelman College (for women); Morehouse College (for men); Clark-Atlanta University; Alabama State University and Tuskegee University.

Think about the projects you will work on when we return.

Importance of Using The Village

I decided that I am going to have to vent about the Village this week. Why, because there were only 8 projects uploaded last week -- and 4 of them were by Donovan! Who was only in the clubhouse on Wednesday, yet he managed to upload 4 projects. Thank you, Donovan! Now, what is going on with the rest of you? No, before I ask that question, let me exclude the 4 who also uploaded at least one project. Thank you, Tamara, Bryan, Kaprecia and Rhonda! Now, instead of asking the question, I'll simply state that doing projects and uploading your best projects to the Computer Clubhouse Village is required for you to continue coming to this clubhouse. If you do not have projects on the Village, then you are wasting the limited time, space and equipment of our clubhouse. This is unacceptable. We have new hardware and software. There are no excuses for any member not to be creating awesomely.
I know that many of you saw the awesome avatar character that Shanelle made of herself using Photoshop. The knowledge and skills for this creation came from a desire to learn and the determination to practice. For certain, Shanell is someone who can stay focused on what she wants to learn. She takes advantage of the free tutorials that provide guidance to master new skills. Her portfolio (that she hasn't uploaded to the Village) includes some great works using Photoshop. It excites me to see that she is expanding her knowledge into other programs like After Effects and Illustrator. Great job, Shanelle!


I see a lot of amazing work being done in the clubhouse. This past week Selena did a design with her email user name and worked with the pen tablet like a pro; Marcellous traced himself from a picture that included 3 or 4 other people and then he drew in a microphone that completely changed the scenario of the original picture; and Mikayla created a photo collage of her family. Unfortunately, I'm only one person, so things can slip past me. I don't always see your project while you are working on it. The Village is that place that you can be sure that I will see what you've done. Use it!

Assignments:

1. TP, V, B, P & PP
2. Preparing for 7th Anniversary and Lights on Afterschool party

October Plans

There are some important events planned for October.

This is the final week to upload a project that could be selected to be in the 2011 Computer Clubhouse calendar. If you have an original artwork project (Bryce, Photoshop, Paint, whatever) that you need help uploading, please let me know so I can help you. This opportunity ends on October 10, so let's get some great artwork submitted!

I want everyone working to build their portfolio of projects to display at our Open House/Lights On Afterschool/Birthday Party Celebrations on Thursday, October 21. This is a lot to cram into one evening, but it should be a lot of fun! Our computer clubhouse will turn seven this month, so we are going to have a birthday party to celebrate this milestone. As many of you know, there are clubhouses located throughout the United States and around the world, but this clubhouse is the only one in Michigan. There are a lot of people who don't even know that we exist. Our birthday celebration will include an open house event that you can invite family and friends to attend to see our creativity. Our birthdate coincides with the annual national event called Lights on Afterschool. An initiative of Afterschool Alliance to put the spotlight on the importance of afterschool programs. We have participated in LOA events in the past. This is the first year that we have combined the event with our birthday. I think that I have a great team of members. I'm looking forward to a great evening!

October is also the month that I will chaperone several members on a trip to visit some Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU tours). Make sure you note that the computer clubhouse will be closed the last week of this month.

Assignments

1. There are some assignments that you should automatically know are required: typing, my blog, the Village, and your portfolio are done each time you visit the clubhouse.
2. Portfolio cover for PowerPoint
3. Photoshop project and view Photoshop videos
4. Photography
5. Introduction to Adobe Flash

Trace Your Face Successes

Patricia's Trace Your Face project is simple enough for anyone to do in one visit to the clubhouse. Unfortunately, Kristophur was the only member to attempt the project -- two weeks ago! I wasn't very happy with that. You need to remember that to continue to come into the computer clubhouse requires that you do projects. My job is to guide you through learning various software programs by doing projects. There are dozens of programs to learn and it takes studying and practicing to learn advance features. There are only a few members that are exempt from doing the assigned projects. This is because I know that they are focused on improving their knowledge and skills in a particular area. For example, I know that when James comes to the clubhouse he is working on music; I know that when Donovan comes he's doing Photoshop; I know that Treymaine works in Scratch; and most importantly, their Village portfolio reflects progress. If you have not been given exemption, then you have to do the assignments listed in this posting. Since the majority of you did not accomplish completing the assignments posted two weeks ago, I decided not to give any new assignments last week. I decided to see what we could accomplish from the old posting. I'm glad to show-off what a difference a week can make. Wow! Keyona did an awesome job on this project! As usual, she didn't just try to do the assignment once and call it done, she used the guidance that I provided and went on to work on a second and a third picture. And I can see how she improved with each attempt. Great job, Keyona! (Can I clone you?) I love how she added the details of the original picture. It works for this picture. Yet, Bryan did an equally great project and I'm glad that he didn't add the details of the original picture.

This was not a hard project, but it taught some important concepts about Adobe Photoshop, such as the use of the pencil and paint bucket tools, which many of you know about from Microsoft Paint. However, Photoshop adds the process of layering that can't be done in Paint. As you continue to use Photoshop, you will find that layering allows you to make amazing art and designs. I know that Keyona does beautiful projects using The Print Shop, so I'm really looking forward to what she will produce with Photoshop. Remember, there are lots of tutorials available on YouTube and at tv.adobe.com, as well as on the Computer Clubhouse Village. You can learn this program and get better and better, and even learn to use your creations in other programs, like PowerPoint, Flash, and Premiere.

I like the works done by Tim, Deonte, Reggie, Martoine, Pheobe and Malik, but I'm disappointed that not everyone uploaded their work to the Village. I know that Tim may still want to color his project, but it looks like Pheobe and Malik are finished. Remember that uploading your projects is a membership requirement. You don't need to upload every project that you create. You should upload your best works. Now, if you do not have a username and password for the Village, then you need to let me know. You cannot set up an account on your own. You need me to do it and if you have forgotten your password, you need me to reset it.

Assignments

1. Typing Practice
2. Read Blog & Leave your comment
3. Photoshop: Put yourself in a picture with yourself
4. Upload Project(s) to the Village
5. Draw a picture at the Green Table and scan it
6. Click this link and Watch the Photoshop Videos
7. Explore the Autodesk website

Note: If you have not done your video introduction and your portfolio cover, you need to do these, also.