Malo!
I'm the current, and hopefully the last IT volunteer at the Ulimasoa Marist Center for the Second Chance Learning. I've been here for a year, starting my second and last year in February. I teach all of the students. It is a required course for both Second Chance (SC) and Youth students.

My first year was centered on actually finding computers for my lab. When I arrived there were 7 computers, 5 actually working. With the help of ALOFA, I currently have 14 computers, 2 of which are remaining in storage just as back up. This is ample amount of computers for my students. All are running Office 2000. I have Encarta Encyclopedia, Mavis Beacon, and TyperShark as extra learning tools.

My curriculum is set up to be centered around fun and useful information that the students can/could sue in future jobs. All of the SC go off to 4 weeks of work experience during the third term. I sue Encarta a lot so they have practice with navigational skills should they ever work with the Internet. We use a lot of Word, creating brochures and Print Screens, using the Drawing Toolbar to label and add extra details. I'll be starting to work with Excel with the youth when second chance leave for their work experience. This will give them experience with another program, working with math and graphs.

I hope this helps! My next project for the coming year is to network my lab, write up a grant for a projector to facilitate teaching and a fundraiser for the school, and find a replacement for me when I leave.

Thanks so much for your help. I wouldn't be where I am now with out ALOFA.

Laura (Lala) Holtan, PCV
Ulimasao Marist Center, Palauli

.