17 Youth Complete Program to Bridge the Digital Divide

Mi Casa is proud to announce the graduation of the second class of Digital Connectors! These 17 youth ages 14 to 21 successfully completed this rigorous nine-month digital technology training program, and their achievement was marked by a celebration on June 4.

The Digital Connectors program engages youth to bridge the digital divide – the gap between those with access to digital technology and those without – by educating youth about digital technology, financial literacy, and leadership and encouraging them to share their knowledge with the community. During the 2010-11 school year, Mi Casa’s Digital Connectors performed nearly 300 hours of community service, which benefitted nearly 400 community members.

The graduation ceremony was another opportunity for the Digital Connectors to share the skills learned in the classroom with members of their own diverse communities. Over 60 people attended the event, which included a screening of the students’ final video projects. These videos showcase unsung heroes and leaders in the Connectors’ lives who were identified and interviewed to produce a final video testimonial project. Though the videos are as unique as each Connector, common themes include encouraging people to recognize their own inner hero and the joy of paying it forward.
The 17 students who graduated from the Digital Connectors program this month all earned a financial literacy certification from EverFi, as well as a Cisco Authorization diploma. Armed with these valuable certifications, Digital Connectors graduates are poised to capitalize on the leadership and career-readiness skills they gained in the program to excel in school or in employment.

In recognition of their hard work, all Digital Connectors graduates receive a new netbook computer, a flip camera, a USB drive, and a $250 stipend. The Digital Connectors program is made possible by a collaboration between Comcast Foundation, One Economy Corporation and Mi Casa Resource Center.

Congratulations to the Digital Connectors Class of 2011!