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Urban Technology Project
Youth Bridging the Digital Divide Since 1996
by Jon Zemanek

According to recent statistics, more households, schools and businesses across the United States gain access to computers and the Internet every year. Typically, many people associate these trends with multimillion-dollar digital divide grants from public sources, major service projects for IT corporations and the declining prices for hardware and Internet access. However, many times highly successful digital divide programs are small, low-budget, grassroots efforts coordinated by dedicated community members. Since 1996, Philadelphia’s own UrbanTech Project has lived and flourished by the mantra of “What can urban youth do bridge the digital divide within their community?”

The UrbanTech Project humbly began in 1996 as an after school computer club mentored by Edison High School teacher, Edison Freire. They noticed several issues in their community, including the fact that many people in their community had little or no access to computers or technology training. Several students also felt frustrated with the curriculum in their schools, since they were very interested in computers but had relatively few opportunities to learn about them. UrbanTech was born out of these needs.

Soon a small space on the fifth floor of the former Roberto Clemente Middle School was procured to create a technology center for students to explore careers in information technology. Local businesses began donating used equipment to the group, and students learned the necessary skills to rebuild and upgrade the machines. Other computers refurbished by the group made their way into classrooms in local high schools, community technology centers and the homes of local citizens. In the last seven years of the project, youth in north Philadelphia have refurbished and placed nearly 1000 computers.

Through the process of working to meet community and student needs, UrbanTech became a shining example of service-learning as a means to help bridge the digital divide. As a result of this work, Freire was selected to be a Master Teacher by the Pennsylvania State Department of Education, forming a lasting partnership between UrbanTech and the Pennsylvania Service-Learning Alliance.

One UrbanTech student commented, "I learned best from doing things with my hands. I started with the hardware and then I moved to building websites and now I am learning programming. Now I make web pages for teachers, and people from the neighborhood bring their computers to our house for us to fix."

Another student explained how she felt after providing services to the community. "We refurbished 30 computers for families, the first time I’ve done so many computers.… I got to go to the church to deliver the computers. When I arrived, a lot of people were happy they were getting them…. They asked me, ‘did I really do those [computers].’ I said ‘yes’ and they said ‘that’s good, keep up the good work because you can make good money in that too.’ It made me feel good because that was the first time that I had helped with something of that magnitude."

UrbanTech's modest classroom has grown and evolved into a fully functional computer refurbishing and technology training center. Students still learn the fundamental concepts of repairing computers, but the center now has the facilities to enable young people to fully explore nearly every facet of modern technology. Resources are available for students to learn everything from basic skills, including typing and office applications, to advanced topics on web design, computer graphic design and animation, networking and digital movie editing.

In the fall of 2002, the UrbanTech Project entered a very unique and rewarding partnership with the Philadelphia YouthBuild Charter School. The school provides an opportunity for teenagers who have dropped out of high school to spend 10 months attending classes and serve as part-time AmeriCorps members in order to earn a high school diploma. The strong service-learning component of Urban Tech makes the center a perfect match for the YouthBuild students. The members spend their mornings working in the center performing tasks such as refurbishing and reprogramming computers, data entry, answering the telephone and assisting in the procurement of donations for the center. In the afternoon, YouthBuild staff teach topics such as typing, computer science and Internet research.

In addition to the high school diploma, YouthBuild students working at the center are offered the option to become A+ Certified Technicians. The ComTIA A+ Certification is a globally recognized standard and the knowledge foundation of competent computer repair technicians most information technology professionals.

What is the impact of a program like UrbanTech on the students? In many ways, it is a life-altering experience. One former student stated “Participating at UrbanTech has changed my life, I probably wouldn’t be in college right now, maybe just finished high school and working somewhere. I am more confident and people look up to me. Before I was shy and didn’t want to talk to anybody. Now I let people know what I think.”

For more information about the UrbanTech Project or to make a computer donation, call us at (215) 227-0600 or email us at urbantech@dca.net.