WildTech Enterprises
WildTech is a non-profit franchise providing a simple framework, templates and on-going support to enable students or volunteers to open a real high-technology company in their school or community organization. It combines all the technology service-learning activities defined in the "Programs" section of this web site. For school-based programs, these activities reinforce the technology skills students gain in the classroom and fulfill community service requirements. For community based organizations, the WTA provides volunteers with additional technology training to serve their community. For all WildTech programs, participants gain technology skills, confidence and job experience for their resumes. WildTech also provides critical character, technology, literacy, citizenship, business management, work-based learning, entrepreneurship and employment training needs.
Every year, the WTA sponsors a one or two day class to train teachers and community center leaders to establish a WildTech technology service learning program in their school or community center. This includes learning five or more technology service learning activities, learning to teach from the 500 page WildTech Enterprise Curriculum and more. For more information, email laugust@wildtech.org
Technology service learning activities are created, administered and managed by students/volunteers in the context of a WildTech enterprise. This makes learning relevant, improving written and verbal communications, management skills and self-esteem. Most enterprise activities generate revenue to sustain the program and even provide scholarship funding for the students involved. Those completing the program show substantial improvement in grades, entry to colleges and employment; all while reducing negative behaviors. Key WildTech phases include:
- Performing a comprehensive assessment of community needs in the areas of technology and services that could improve the lives of local low-income families and provide economic opportunities through the use of technology,
- conducting a comprehensive mapping of community assets, especially those surrounding technology,
- engaging in community outreach to promote student, community, business and government involvement in the WildTech enterprise.
- designing the technology service learning activities include reflection activities and assessment instruments.
- recruiting low-income community members to obtain the services,
- perform the technology service learning activities and
- evaluating results and making appropriate program modifications.
Once WildTech students / volunteers complete the assessment, mapping and outreach phases, there are a number of enterprise activities they may elect to provide, all designed to serve low income residents. Since WildTech is THEIR enterprise, the products, services, pricing and promotion are THEIR decisions. This may include:
- Refurbishing surplus Pentium-4 computers supplied to the school / community organization by the WTA and providing them along with an introductory training class to local low-income community members.
- Web design services for non-profit organizations.
- Database design services for corporations, non-profits and government agencies.
- Designing computer games for corporations, non-profit organizations and government agencies.
- Providing software application training for low-income community members in MS Word, Excel and more.
WildTech school programs generally establish relationships with local community organizations where all of the face-to-face technology service learning activities take place. Most often, these include student-led technology training classes for low-income community members that include a free computer. This allows WildTech school programs to avoid school policy issues that could prevent low-income clients from visiting their high school.
To aid teachers and administrators in operating their WildTech Enterprise, the WTA created a 500+ page Enterprise Curriculum. It is comprised of curriculum nuggets, forms and proceedures to be administed sequentially or when needed. Issues addressed include:
- Defining the goals and activity calendar of the enterprise
- Establishing ethical and dress policies
- Defining a warranty policy
- Addressing tax and legal issues
- Much, much more
Finally, WildTech provides a unique leadership component. The "Wild" in WildTech means that many of the students or volunteers will have their first-ever wilderness experience where they learn the expeditionary behaviors of teamwork, trust and individual responsibility in a high-impact setting. They may go caving in West Virginia, rafting on the Potomac, backpacking at Mount Rainier and more. These are exactly the types of experiences people need to shatter their old horizons and show them what they are capable of.