Spring Break
EZ Street, WPGC Computer Giveaway Contest Will Connect African and American Students
Jacqueline Smith
Issue date: 2/22/01 Section: City
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When it comes to technology and the Internet, many area schools are lagging behind the national standard. EZ Street, rush hour radio personality of WPGC 95.5 FM and CEO of Take it EZ Travel, and Keven Jones, president of i3Link Communications, a black-owned Internet company, plan to do something about that.
“We have three goals: to create excitement about the Internet in youth at an early age, to create awareness of the problem of the ‘digital divide’ and to inspire others to get involved,” Street said.
The pair collaborated to create Project Bridges, a contest designed for elementary and middle schools in D.C., Virginia and Maryland. The entrants, one drawn randomly from a classroom in each area, will win a Dell or Compaq computer fully equipped with a camera and Internet access to communicate with students in Africa.
“I’m trying to create a bridge between youth in America and Africa,” Street said.
Many area teachers are excited about the program; they see it as an excellent learning opportunity for the students.
“With technology, the world is a blink of an eye away and teaching the kids how to communicate, and how to do it well, is imperative for us to continue to grow. International communication is paramount,” said Anton Davis, a 5th grade teacher at James Randall Elementary School in Clinton, Md. Davis plans to encourage all the teachers at his school to enter the contest in order to increase the school’s chances in winning.
“Hopefully, the program will be expanded next year,” said Dawn Brown, the public relations director for the project.
Brown is a parent who is also encouraging her children’s teachers to enter the contest. “I’m working with this because I really like what EZ Street is doing,” she said.
The two schools in Africa that will be receiving computers and other school supplies are the Asankrangwa Primary School in Asankrangwa, Ghana, West Africa; and the school that former First Lady of South Africa, Winnie Mandela attended. Winnie Mandela was at the Union Temple Baptist Church in Southeast last Sunday to accept the gifts. Street and Jones will deliver the computers to Ghana themselves during the Take it EZ Travel’s annual “Back 2 Africa Cultural and Spiritual Journey.”
“We have three goals: to create excitement about the Internet in youth at an early age, to create awareness of the problem of the ‘digital divide’ and to inspire others to get involved,” Street said.
The pair collaborated to create Project Bridges, a contest designed for elementary and middle schools in D.C., Virginia and Maryland. The entrants, one drawn randomly from a classroom in each area, will win a Dell or Compaq computer fully equipped with a camera and Internet access to communicate with students in Africa.
“I’m trying to create a bridge between youth in America and Africa,” Street said.
Many area teachers are excited about the program; they see it as an excellent learning opportunity for the students.
“With technology, the world is a blink of an eye away and teaching the kids how to communicate, and how to do it well, is imperative for us to continue to grow. International communication is paramount,” said Anton Davis, a 5th grade teacher at James Randall Elementary School in Clinton, Md. Davis plans to encourage all the teachers at his school to enter the contest in order to increase the school’s chances in winning.
“Hopefully, the program will be expanded next year,” said Dawn Brown, the public relations director for the project.
Brown is a parent who is also encouraging her children’s teachers to enter the contest. “I’m working with this because I really like what EZ Street is doing,” she said.
The two schools in Africa that will be receiving computers and other school supplies are the Asankrangwa Primary School in Asankrangwa, Ghana, West Africa; and the school that former First Lady of South Africa, Winnie Mandela attended. Winnie Mandela was at the Union Temple Baptist Church in Southeast last Sunday to accept the gifts. Street and Jones will deliver the computers to Ghana themselves during the Take it EZ Travel’s annual “Back 2 Africa Cultural and Spiritual Journey.”
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