For Immediate Release: Tuesday, May 25, 2010
ROCKVILLE, Md., May 25, 2010—Montgomery County Councilmember George Leventhal (D-at large) will be the keynote speaker on Thursday, May 27, as leaders from the Wilderness Technology Alliance (WildTech) and the YMCA’s Youth and Family Services division announce they are partnering to offer technology skills and work-based learning experiences for low-income residents of Montgomery County. Among the many benefits of the partnership will be to provide residents with free computer access at no cost to taxpayers.
The announcement will take place at an event from 7:30-9 p.m. at the Carroll Avenue Quebec Terrace Community Center (CAQT-YMCA) at 8733 Carroll Avenue, No. 4, in Silver Spring.
Through the partnership, WildTech-YMCA will provide essential technology products and services to non-profit organizations in Montgomery County at far below market rates. Initial enterprise activities will include electronics recycling, computer refurbishing and Microsoft application training. The partnership also will provide training for low-income community members in technology management, marketing and communications skill.
“One of our greatest needs in trying to close the education and employment gaps that leave our low-income residents behind is the ability to bring technology to these residents and then to teach them how to use it to their advantage,” said County Councilmember Leventhal, who chairs the Council’s Health and Human Services Committee. “This partnership takes a major step in that direction and can serve as a model that could be replicated across this County.”
The users of the computer lab primarily will be residents whose first language is Spanish. Councilmember Leventhal, who was instrumental in helping the partnership organize in Montgomery County, will address the audience on Thursday in both Spanish and English.
The partnership will expose those in the programs to work-based learning experiences and provide an income by practicing these skills in a real technology company that they manage and operate.
Speakers at the event also will include representatives of local non-profit organizations and government agencies who will talk about how the WildTech-YMCA partnership can be supported. Residents planning on participating in the program will also speak on how it will impact their lives.
WildTech-YMCA is a chapter of the Wilderness Technology Alliance (WTA) non-profit organization. WTA helps schools and community organizations create technology service learning programs aligned with technology curricula where participants gain work-based learning experiences and jobs by providing valuable technology products and services to their school and community. Most programs are run as "WildTech" enterprises that generate revenue to sustain and grow the program.
For more information about the partnership, contact the Wilderness Technology Alliance at 202-276-8087 or by email at lambert@wildtech.org. Councilmember Leventhal’s office can be contacted at 240-777-7821.
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Release ID: 10-105
Media Contact: Patty Vitale 240-777-7821, Neil Greenberger 240-777-7939