Motor City Makeover and More

The opportunity to give back to where you live and help to build a better community is essential to being a good citizen. It is in this spirit that members of the NWAC Intel Computer Clubhouse volunteer to participate in the City of Detroit's annual cleanup event called Motor City Makeover. This year we are offering two sign-up opportunities. In addition to being able to sign up with the computer clubhouse, Shai is encouraging members to join her environmentally-conscious organization called Green Horizon*. This group explores ways to help improve our environment. They participate in events that improve our planet. It is a teen organization, so you have to be 13 - 19 to join. You can see Mikayla to sign up with the clubhouse group; see Shai or Rhonda to sign up with Green Horizon.

We will be cleaning around the Northwest Activities Center and, depending on the number that volunteer, we may also be able to help our neighbors in the apartment next door; and further up Meyers. Plans are to dedicate 3-4 hours on Saturday morning, May 22. We will meet in the Computer Clubhouse at 8:00; pick up our supplies and equipment; and head out to work. We will be working from around 8:30 until noon. Parents and friends can sign up, also. Let's stay focused! Do a great job! Really see that our efforts make a difference in Detroit!

Your Comments Are Meaningful

It is always a difficult decision to cancel anyone's membership, but leaders have to know how to, when to and why to take this difficult step. I try to make every youth who joins the NWAC Intel Computer Clubhouse know that he or she must fulfill certain requirements of membership. I don't think that the requirements are unrealistic or hard to achieve.

First, you work on a project or projects when in the computer clubhouse. This involves using the hardware, software; or website you choose, but it must allow you to design, create, invent or build a project. I rarely assign a specific project to be done. I follow the guidance of the clubhouse learning model. It encourages you to learn by designing projects that are of interest to you. I have seen how this model is effective through projects created by former NWAC Intel Computer Clubhouse members like Herschel, James and Patricia.

Second, you upload your best work to the clubhouse village website. Herschel, James and Patricia studied and learned to design, create and build awesome projects. Their portfolios on the Village helped them to each win a $5,000 college scholarship from the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network C2C Scholarship to help them pay for their college classes.

Herschel works a lot in Bryce and Photoshop. He created this picture, titled "Acez Field", using Bryce. James is great at using Photoshop, Flash and Premiere. He created this Shigiro animation using Photoshop and Flash.
I couldn't get the animation file to open, but if you want to check out how the X in this picture opens up and has a little Shigiro inside, sign into the Village and click here on the picture to go to James' village page. And well, Patricia was an awesome Lego builder, check out her video; she builds robots.

Many of you know that Herschel and James are clubhouse mentors. They are in the clubhouse several days each month. They are happy to teach what they know; if you want to learn. I know somebody wants to learn how James did this project. The next time he comes to the clubhouse let him teach you.

And third, you read this Blog each week and leave your comment. This blog is written to update members on things that are happening with our clubhouse; to showcase the outstanding works that are posted on the Village; and to give you the opportunity to tell me your ideas for making our clubhouse, and the projects we do, better. My number 1 goal is to keep our clubhouse operating with the mission in mind. I want to see creative, amazing, awesome projects come from our members (Like the Pivot animation Marcellous did last week. Awesome. I'll make sure I link to it next week. Unfortunately, it isn't uploaded to the Village, yet. :-( But he does have some other cool stuff to see).

I like that I have former clubhouse members who have been rewarded for their outstanding participation in our clubhouse, but it is important for me to see rewards come to now and future members. The NWAC Intel Computer Clubhouse membership can be rewarding. It provides the opportunity to learn and use professional level software and hardware. If you are not fulfilling the membership requirements (1, 2, and 3), your membership must be cancelled.

Remember, you need a Google account to leave a comment. See me if you need help setting one up.

*not affiliated with any national or international group, organization, or business.