Local CYFAR Program Spotlight

Cyber Town

Imagine you’re a 4-H youth educator who works in a community where access to computers and the Internet is a luxury. Hoping to fix this technology gap, you submit a grant proposal to an organization that provides computers, software and Web connectivity to rural, at-risk youth populations—the very population you serve each day. Within just two weeks, a truckload of equipment arrives on your doorstep. “That was almost too easy,” you think. “Now what?”

For many youth educators, this imaginary scenario isn’t far from reality. When it comes to Extension, CYFAR and 4-H programs, “Now what?” is a frequently asked question. Sometimes projects emerge before the project leaders have a chance to iron out all the wrinkles.

That can be a good thing, as long as those leaders can adapt and evolve accordingly. Proof positive: When the above scenario happened to Lisa Dennis, a 4-H youth development educator and extension director in Somerset County, Md., she responded by getting the entire community involved, youth included.

Like much of Somerset County, the waterside town of Crisfield has limited job opportunities and a low median family income. In 2002, computers and Internet access were scarce in both homes and schools throughout the area. To help bridge the digital divide, Dennis secured 20 computers and educational software from a technology grant organization. Without delay, she and her colleagues at the University of Maryland teamed up with Crisfield business owners, teachers, youth and parents to establish Cyber Town, an after school program based at the Woodrow Wilson Center.

Theoretically, Cyber Town would be a place where 8 to 12 year-olds from the nearby housing project could get up to speed with the rest of the nation’s students in terms of computer literacy. But shortly after the program began, qualitative reports on the young people’s progress turned that theory on its head.

“It sounded like the greatest idea ever, but we soon found out that we needed to think through what we were doing more clearly,” says Dennis. “The educators and program assistants realized that the youth literacy levels were so low that it was almost impossible to teach them the things we wanted to teach them on the Internet.”

With exceptional teamwork and flexibility, Dennis and her project partners quickly expanded Cyber Town from a basic computer lab to a full-scale community education hub. Now a National 4-H Program of Distinction and a 4-H Families Count award-winner, Cyber Town helps youth to build their technology, reading, writing and research skills. In the program’s six-year history, some 200 youth have made significant progress in all four areas, according to descriptive statistics and school report cards.

“The ultimate goal of CYFAR projects is to build their sustainability, so I don’t set low expectations for volunteers.”

~Lisa Dennis

Thanks to a working relationship with the local elementary school, the Cyber Town team is able to consult with teachers in lieu of a reading specialist to determine reading levels and what software or Web sites the youth can comprehend. Initially, the challenge was to find tools that the children could understand, but that weren’t too “babyish.” Some of the interactive software and sites used in the program include Reading Blaster, Cyberkids and National Geographic Kids (see the Program of Distinction Overview below for more resources).

A CYFAR New Communities grant provides funding for a program assistant who, along with a 4-H educator or community volunteer, works one-on-one with the students to provide support based on teacher recommendations and reading scores. Monday through Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m., the children get assistance with their homework. From 5:30 to 6 p.m., they receive computer-aided instruction in reading. From 6 to 6:30 p.m., they enjoy free time to surf the Web and play computer games. And Friday afternoons are devoted to 4-H projects, health awareness and art appreciation, along with more time for Web surfing and videogames.

Of course, the staff and volunteers “don’t just let kids loose on the Internet,” as Dennis points out. “Kids have gotten a lot savvier these days, so we have to keep a couple of steps ahead of them because there’s a new site every day that they shouldn’t see.” In addition to using the latest site-blocking techniques, the Cyber Town team enforces strict rules for Web surfing behavior. If a forbidden site pops up accidentally, youth must tell an adult right away. If they linger on the site, they will get suspended. More often than not, says Dennis, the youth police themselves.

Abiding by the rules is one of many signs that the youth value the learning opportunity. In an environment where education is often deemed “nerdy,” attending the program calls for a great deal of maturity and courage. On several occasions, Dennis has been thrilled to see these traits in otherwise timid youth—like the 12-year-old boy who recently confronted some neighborhood bullies.

“This gang of kids was giving the boy a hard time about his involvement in Cyber Town because they wanted him to join their gang instead,” says Dennis. “So the boy, who usually keeps his head down, finally spoke up and said, ‘I want to learn something so I don’t have to walk around this housing project for the rest of my life in your gang.’ And he will do something with his life. He’s already a really talented graphic artist.”

Cyber Town not only provides youth with the resources to succeed, but also a safe haven where they can focus on their interests. Take the 12-year-old girl who was failing every class when she joined the program in 2002. A difficult family situation forced her to raise her younger siblings and, consequently, she had little time for herself.

“She was able to bring her brothers and sisters along to the program, which gave her a chance to keep an electronic journal and to write poetry,” says Dennis. “She eventually graduated from high school about 10th in her class. Now she’s attending college at the University of Maryland and wants to go into journalism.”

When Cyber Town started, Dennis thought that the parents from the Crisfield housing project would welcome the program with open arms. To her surprise, however, many were unreceptive to the idea. After seeking counsel from the grade school principal, Dennis realized that this negative reaction was a byproduct of the parents’ own experiences. “Many of them had such a bad relationship with school when they were kids that they were afraid they’d be treated the same way again.”

Determined to make a connection, Dennis discovered some simple ways to make the parents feel more comfortable. “When I go into a CYFAR community, it helps to wear jeans and an Extension sweatshirt so I don’t look like someone from an agency,” she says. “And I don’t hold formal meetings where I stand up in front like in a classroom. Instead, I set up the room with a casual layout. It can also help to make an appointment to meet somewhere outside of the home because they may not want me to see their house.”

Once they’ve made that crucial first impression, the Cyber Town team encourages the parents and grandparents to take real ownership. Rather than dominating the agenda during meetings, for example, Dennis and her colleagues let the volunteers lead the conversation.

“The adult volunteers and youth participants come up with such good ideas about how to enhance the lab and how to build partnerships in the community,” she says. “The ultimate goal of CYFAR projects is to build their sustainability, so I don’t set low expectations for volunteers. You have to let it be their program.”

Links
Cyber Town Web site
Program of Distinction Overview

All Cyber Town photos courtesy of the University of Maryland Extension