| The Cornell-Ithaca Partnership, a US HUD funded Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC), is joining with community organizations to create an exciting new initiative designed to address the “digital divide” by providing under-served youth with opportunities to acquire computer skills and Internet access in their own neighborhood. Graeme Bailey, Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics at Cornell University will head a committee including faculty and staff from the university’s computer services who have committed their time and expertise to ensure the success of this program. Students at the university, through coursework and extracurricular activities, will help staff the program. Cornell is a wonderful source of student volunteer labor. According to PowerUP, a national organization dedicated to encouraging computer access to underserved youth, young people who | 
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are most disadvantaged include those living in low and moderate income families, racial or ethnic minorities and those with other social disadvantages, such as high school drop-outs and teen mothers. The Cornell-Ithaca Partnership is working directly with the Southside Community Center, located in a neighborhood where residents are unlikely to have access to computers. According to 1990 census data over 63% of the households in this neighborhood fell into the low to moderate income categories. Neighborhood representatives have been part of the planning from the beginning in order to make sure that the needs and desires of the community are being addressed. The staff at Southside Community Center is very enthusiastic about the project and will provide a secure facility to house the lab. |
If you are interested in
participating in any of these efforts or would like more information, please call or email
Dr. Patricia Pollak, pbp3@cornell.edu, 255-257 or
Cili Shannon, cs48@cornell.edu, 255-1694
