Neighbors Empowering Youth Celebrates Over A Decade Of Bridging The Digital Divide For Youth

Dec. 20, 2010 - PRLog -- Celebrating over a decade of training and equipping youth from under-served communities to succeed in the field of computer technology, Neighbors Empowering Youth (NEY) will hold an open house for the community and key guests on January 20, 2011 at 3:30 pm. The event will take place at its newly-acquired and expanded facilities at 2662 N. Fair Oaks Ave. in Altadena, CA.

NEY seeks to address the digital exclusion of low-income communities in Pasadena and Altadena so that youth of these areas can have the opportunity to stay current with computers and compete in today’s technology-driven economy rather than be left behind. As a statement in the Broadband Business Plan for the Sacramento Region puts it, “The Digital Divide is a manifestation of ‘economic’ and ‘opportunity divides’, leaving the ‘have nots’ in society farther behind and further disadvantaged.”

Since 1998, NEY has ushered in innovative ways for youth to receive basic computer skills and hands-on computer repair training. The core program is an after-school training where youth repair computers and provide technical services for area nonprofits and businesses. The organizations benefit from the expert service for a fee that is below what many other computer repair technicians would charge. As well, the youth benefit from learning about and helping community organizations, all while having gainful employment which gives them a marketable skill for their futures.

For the past five years, NEY students have also been involved in building robotics and participating in robotics competitions. As a recent grant recipient from NASA and Boeing, NEY  “celebrates machine robustness in concept and fabrication,” the students are growing in their abilities to clearly articulate design features that make their robots strong in competition. This is made possible in part due to the effort the organization has made to bring computer labs into the schools and to give away computers to those who need them.

Having recently set up computer labs at Wilson Middle School and Pasadena High School, NEY Founder John Smith states, “We are excited about the coming year as we are giving away computers for about 4 schools and 50 families. We believe in digital inclusion for everyone and closing the digital divide one family at a time.”

NEY has impacted hundreds of students and several schools through its training and services. Luis, a former student of the program and now the lead technician at NEY, is especially grateful for how it changed his life. He recounts, “Before I started here, I went to about five different high schools in the whole school year. I was messing up…my grades were all F’s, I got stabbed, and was in a lot of trouble.” Luis was introduced to the program by a teacher because he needed his computer fixed. That was initially his only purpose for going to the program, but at the end of the third day, not only was it repaired, but he had also gained the realization and vision for making money by applying his newfound skills. He soon introduced his cousin, who had been having similar struggles in school, to the program. His cousin enrolled and excelled in the program and is now a technician at Best Buy.

The Open House on January 20th will provide community members and organizations with whom NEY has partnered through the years the opportunity to see its accomplishments and, most importantly, to meet some of the very individuals who have been impacted by its training. Special invites are being extended to Congressman Adam Schiff, Assembly-member Anthony Portantino, LA County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, Pasadena City Manager Michael Beck, Pasadena Chief of Police Phillip Sanchez, Pasadena Council Member Jacque Robinson, Pasadena Unified School District Superintendent Edwin Diaz, Altadena Station Captain Steven McLean,  Pastor Jean Burche, as well as members of the Clergy Community Coalition. In addition, dozens of foundations, including several local California-based organizations, have been invited.  

Learn more about NEY at http://www.neypcworkshop.org

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Neighbors Empowering Youth (NEY) exists exclusively as a charitable, non-profit service agency to assist young adults, particularly at risk youth, obtain the skills necessary to complete in today’s technological workplace.