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!