The Technology Department strives to improve access to technology for staff, students, and the community; we research and create new avenues that will expand the educational opportunities for our organization and the community. There are 20 computers available in the adult lab and 10 computers in the children's lab. Both labs are open in the afternoon for after school program use.

The adult computer lab has 20 computer stations running on a Microsoft Windows 2000 platform that has high speed internet access. The main use of this computer room is for YouthBuild students 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Children's Computer Room at Crispus Attucks is open between 3:30 and 6:00 each weekday afternoon. It has a wide variety of educational software, including programs aimed at improving awareness and understanding in mathematics, social studies, science, reading, and nutrition. It has 6 to 8 (the number fluctuates because of occasional upgrades and repairs) IBM compatible, multimedia personal computers. Attendance averages about 8-10 students per afternoon.

Attendance at weekly Youth Responsibility Classes is required to gain admission to the room. Also, because reading skills are appreciated as being critically important in achievement in school, upon arrival in the room, a student is expected to read, or be read to, for at least 15 minutes. There is a wide selection of reading material for all ages, including early elementary storybooks, poems, biographies, and other works of nonfiction. Older children are encouraged to help younger ones (though assistance is, of course, more a function of ability than age). Flash cards for phonetics, basic arithmetic, and the states of the USA, as well as, maps of the world and the USA, dictionaries, and other materials are available for review and reference. Games, such as, chess, checkers, and Mancala are available.

Monday through Wednesday are considered "educational days," and the computers are restricted to games that have a clear, educational goal. Thursday and Friday are more relaxed, and arcade style games are played, as well.

Though the Youth Responsibility Classes have children ranging in age from 6 to 16 years of age, the great majority of children who visit the room are between 6 and 12. Also, most are "repeat" visitors, i.e., children who attend 3-4 days each week; there are a significant number of "drop-ins," who make use of the room only 2-4 times per month.

While the computer room has not tried to give formal instruction in DOS, Windows, or word-processing, some youngsters have decided they want to type a portion of a favorite book to bring to their teachers. Printers are available, and some elementary knowledge of the keyboard and word-processing are achieved, while the child has the finished product to show in school. (It is interesting to witness the concentration and joy a child will manifest while performing this task when it is self-motivated, as compared to the "Do-I-really-gotta" attitude of a child who has been directed to perform the identical task.

The room serves as a laboratory for older youngsters (15-17 year olds) to learn about the components of computers. Several youngsters have learned how to upgrade computers, and perform some troubleshooting of computer problems, as well. This includes: memory upgrades, hard drive replacement, installation of programs and operating systems, and, even, complete construction for a working multimedia computer from parts (i.e., motherboard, case, memory, floppy disk drive, hard drive, video card, CD-ROM drive, and sound card).

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