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| The Intel Computer Clubhouse Network |
Intel Computer Clubhouse participants tell their stories
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Both a physical place and a learning philosophy, the Intel Computer Clubhouse is designed to motivate and inspire individual young people, creating ideas and opportunities in technology. Here's a look inside a few of their lives.
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Latoya took an hour-long train ride by herself to get to the Clubhouse after school. She especially liked to come on Mondays when, as she said, "no guys are allowed." The Clubhouse sets aside Mondays as Girls Day, a special time for young women to work with technology in ways that are relevant and inviting to them, with the support of female mentors and staff.
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Latoya was introduced to the Clubhouse through Beyond Black Boxes, a special science program for girls developed by the Computer Clubhouse* in collaboration with the Girl Scouts. "I have a pretty clear picture of what I want to do. I want to be a computer engineer. I didn't like science at first, but now I love it, and I love computers." Latoya became a teen mentor at the Computer Clubhouse, inspiring younger girls to explore their interests and ideas. Read more (PDF; 1 page)
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Sean went to a Clubhouse for the first time when he was a 17-year old high school student in Boston, Massachusetts. Sean became the Clubhouse resident "expert" in 3DStudio Max*, an advanced system used by professional architects and animators. He said his greatest achievement at the Clubhouse was his design of the Clubhouse logo in 3D. "A lot of people here make movies and the logo can be used on them. I'm glad it came out the way it did."
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"It was a friend who told me I should come to Clubhouse. When he told me about it, I thought it was a tree house. He didn't come with me, though. I went alone. It was a little scary... If I hadn't come to Clubhouse, I'd be pretty bored. I'd be staying at home all day watching TV." Read more (PDF; 1 page)
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Francisco (or Cisco, as his friends call him) moved between the Dominican Republic, New Jersey, and Boston seven times before finally settling in Boston and discovering the Clubhouse. Cisco flourished at the Clubhouse, and is now a mentor. "My advice for a first-timer is 'come back.' Most kids do. They get impressed by the stuff and people here to help."
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With what he has learned at the Clubhouse, and from a mentor who impressed upon him that there is always a way to overcome barriers, Cisco went to college and worked part-time at the MIT Media Lab. Read more (PDF; 1 page)
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Chatiana is a student in South Central Los Angeles. She is being raised by her father and grandmother, since her mother died of AIDS. "Living in the city is sometimes frightening, not always a positive environment. This is one of the reasons why the Clubhouse is essential to help us achieve our goals for the future," says Chatiana. According to Clubhouse Coordinator Natashka Jones, when Chatiana first came to the Clubhouse, she was "quiet and afraid to express what she thought or felt. She worked on one program over and over. She finally looked up one day and said, 'What other software can I work on?' She wanted to build a house on the computer like she had seen on TV." The two of them installed the software and Chatiana "sat there for hours working on her project." She says, "The Clubhouse is not just a place where you play on the computer; the Clubhouse offers an educational experience for youth in our community."
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Siana, a teen mother, has become an excellent leader in only seven months as a Clubhouse member. She recently wrote a petition for a grant that was awarded to the Clubhouse to create a mural that would depict a positive message about her community. "She presented her proposal and won the hearts of 20 adults who listened to her passion for the Clubhouse and what it has done for her and her baby," says Luversa Sullivan, Tacoma, Washington Clubhouse coordinator. Siana is completing high school and aspires to be an entrepreneur. She currently leads a youth project called RISE, for which she is being paid, and has started her own janitorial service to help support herself and her child.
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Richard left school when he was 11 years old, footloose and unsure about his future but determined to make music. Now he has ambitions to run his own record company or to be involved in the entertainment industry. In addition to recording and mixing his own music, Richard is also developing his own Web site and has discovered that he has real talent for graphic arts, animation, music, and Web design. He credits this new focus and commitment to his active participation in Dublin's Intel Computer Clubhouse.
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