Feature Story

March 29, 2007

By Jenny Carless, News@Cisco

When Hurricane Katrina tore through the U.S. Gulf Coast in late August 2005, it dramatically changed the lives of the region's residents.

Like many individuals and organizations across the United States and around the world, Cisco, the Cisco Foundation and Cisco employees offered a helping hand in the form of cash donations, product equipment, employee volunteers and more. Beyond that initial help, Cisco was also determined to make a longer-lasting commitment to aid the rebuilding and recovery efforts.

Less than two months after Katrina hit, Cisco launched the 21st Century Schools (21S) Initiative - a US$80 million, three-year education initiative in the Gulf Coast that aims to use this time of recovery and change to infuse technology into schools and education. The program's vision is to transform the approach to learning, creating a 21st century education model that improves the quality of education, prepares students with 21st century skills and creates a foundation for economic opportunities and community success.

"At Cisco, we recognize that the ultimate success of the 21S program depends on the knowledge, expertise and commitment of the educational leaders with whom we are working," says Char Andrews, Cisco 21S Fellow. "With this in mind, local ownership from the start is one of our key strategies; and one method to achieve success long after we are gone is to work with these schools and leaders to develop sustainable solutions and practices."

To help ensure that sustainability, Cisco is working with Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT), a Canadian nonprofit organization that uses technology to promote locally driven social and economic development.

The relationship between the two organizations dates back several years. In 2002, Cisco became a founding sponsor of DOT and made a three-year commitment to help launch its Global NetCorps program, which teaches individuals in the developing world a range of skills including leadership, facilitation, communication, teamwork and technology. The two organizations have worked together on other projects also, including Cisco's Jordan Education Initiative.

For the 21S Initiative, Cisco and DOT have established the 21S Intern Program, a 10-month program in which tech-savvy young people are trained to support teachers to become confident and excited about technology, to get "hands on" experience helping teachers with technology and to create projects that will inspire students. (DOT also manages the 21S Website, which has information about the internship opportunity and other aspects of the 21S Initiative.)

Supporting Teachers' Use of Technology

As of January 2007, interns were already busy at work in all 21S schools in Mississippi and Louisiana.

The interns, typically students with two or more years of college, undergo a period of training before beginning their internships. Once at their assigned schools, they help in a number of ways, including supporting teachers' use of technology in the classroom and leading knowledge-sharing activities. They also serve as a voice for the program in the local community.

Margo Green, a University of Southern Mississippi graduate, is a DOT intern at Petal Middle School in Petal, Mississippi, a public school with nearly 950 students in sixth through eighth grades.

"I enjoy helping people," Green says when asked why she joined the program," and I thought it would be a great opportunity to help the state in which I've lived all my life."

The interns' mission is to help teachers feel more comfortable - and thereby become better teachers - using equipment and software such as electronic white boards, multimedia learning studios and learning software.

"My job is to learn as much as possible about Petal's classroom technology so I can help the teachers use it," Green explains.

She also works with other DOT interns at surrounding schools. "We share and combine our work, when that makes sense, based on our individual expertise," Green explains. "For example, at Petal, a teacher wanted to design a Website for a science project. I know a little about Web design, but another intern knows more, so she helped me with that project."

"Margo has been a tremendous asset in helping improve our teachers' comfort level with technology," says Audra Rester, the assistant principal at Petal Middle School. "She shows them that the computers and other tools won't break if they touch them. It allows them to move forward and focus on how the technology can help in their teaching."

Green meets regularly with all the Petal teachers to help them with whatever questions and issues they have. "Essentially, she assists them in getting the students the instruction they need with our new technology," says Rester.

Green has also developed projects such as her "tips of the week" e-mails to all teachers, which provide helpful information on technical issues that come up at the school. In addition, she posts information on the school's Website to keep parents up to date on various school initiatives.

Benefits for Everyone

Not only are the teachers learning how to incorporate the latest technology teaching tools into their curriculum, Green saves them a lot of time by lessening their learning curves.

A good relationship between interns and educators is important. "My teachers are not intimidated by her; they respect her and treat her as one of our family," Rester says.

Green has noticed that the students are more engaged in the lessons that use the learning technology. "It's clear that they find it much more interesting," she says. "It's making them really want to learn."

The program offers an important growth opportunity for the interns, also. They develop valuable life-long skills like leadership, relationship building, collaboration and project management as well as getting an insider's view into a possible new career path.

"I've learned a lot about teachers and their work; and I appreciate them much more as a result of this experience," Green says. "In fact, I may consider teaching in the future."

The appreciation goes both ways.

"Whatever processes they use to select and train these interns, I'm very impressed," says Rester, about Green and her fellow DOT interns. "They are well trained and motivated, and they show great initiative. This experience has been a tremendous success for us."

"Cisco has long believed that technology plays a vital role in student success - and that academic achievement can lead to economic development and, in turn, further community success," says Andrews. "This intern program plays an important role in helping to ensure the sustainability of the overall 21S Initiative. It's one way we can help change lives in the Gulf Region - for the better."

Jenny Carless is a freelance writer based in Santa Cruz, CA.