Education Development Center, Inc., through a grant from the National Science Foundation, will serve as national technical assistance provider for the NSF Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program. As a part of EDC's Center for Education Employment and Community, YouthLearn is a program partner and will bring practical resources on technology integration, professional development tools, and other expertise to ITEST grantees. Representing a broad range of cultural and educational settings, the ITEST projects will collectively demonstrate innovative approaches in the development of IT skills through STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning. Visit the ITEST website for more information.

As part of EDC's effort to assist in bringing technology opportunities to developing countries, YouthLearn has been asked to partner in an international USAID initiative with Dot-EDU, which is part of the DOT-COM Alliance. As a pilot effort, we are assisting in the development of a Community Learning Resource Center in Vanga, a town in the Bandundu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We are leading the development of a set of learning modules for the staff of the newly developed center, illustrating how best to integrate technology into a range of educational opportunities. After a visit to Vanga in January 2003 for an initial assessment of needs we are currently designing the learning modules and planning the implementation of training around the modules. On-site training will occur during the summer months of 2003, with follow-up online assistance and evaluation. Find out more about YouthLearn's initiative in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This summer, YouthLearn will be offering its first pre-conference all-day training as part of the Community Technology Centers' Network's national conference in Washington DC on June 26, 2003. Through a series of interactive workshops on project-based learning, technology integration and curriculum development, training attendees will be immersed in a day of interactive, hand-on learning based on the best lessons from the YouthLearn Guide and body of work. Each participant will be assisted in the development of a new curriculum framework that they can take home and apply in their youth center or school. Even if you cannot attend the training, do plan to be a part of the conference. All in the YouthLearn community are strongly encouraged to attend this very rewarding gathering of practitioners and thought leaders from throughout the US. Members of the YouthLearn community are eligible for the CTCNet member discount. Do plan to join us for this first ever gathering in the nations capital.

YouthLearn is pleased to announce a new alliance partnership with the Beaumont Foundation of America. Over the next four years, Beaumont will be awarding more than $350 million in equipment donations to schools, community groups and individuals. In collaboration with other nonprofit community associations and technical assistance providers, YouthLearn is working with Beaumont to identify prime grantee candidates and assist in RFP design and review. Other coalition members include CTCNet, National Urban League, Aspira, NAACP, Communities in Schools, Alliance for Technology Access and LULAC. Members of the YouthLearn community are strongly encouraged to apply for support. Beaumont looks very favorably on an agency's associations and will forward all proposals referencing YouthLearn for our review and additional comments.

We're thrilled to be working with Beaumont and the other alliance partners to help make this opportunity available to communities across the country. Proposals for 2003 awards are currently in the process of being reviewed. The next grant period will begin in January of 2004. For more information about eligibility, visit http://www.bmtfoundation.org. Feel free to contact YouthLearn if you have other questions.

In November of 2002, YouthLearn Director Tony Streit joined colleagues from the US and EU for a transatlantic roundtable on how technology is shaping teen programming on each side of the ocean. The gathering, convened by the Benton Foundation and hosted by the Jacob Foundation at their Marbach Castle on Lake Constance in Germany, highlighted the need for greater collaboration between researchers, practitioners, government agencies and private corporations.

This event was a follow-up to a 2001 roundtable held in Washington, DC, and associated research that dates back to 1997. Each gathering has highlighted the exceptional work of model programs from countries on both sides of the Atlantic and underscored the need for even greater research into the many ways that technological tools are transforming education, civic participation and youth development. Notes from Tony's presentation on the state of youth technology initiatives in the US can be found on the 2002 roundtable site at http://www.digitale-chancen.de/transfer/assets/105.pdf. A report from the 2002 gathering is available from the Benton Foundation at http://www.benton.org/publibrary/ttr/teentech02.pdf.

6,000 youth practitioners across the US and worldwide have now received The YouthLearn Guide: A Creative Approach To Working With Youth And Technology.This 160-page handbook complete with worksheets and sample activities provides planning tools, curriculum resources, and practical advice for setting up or enhancing a learning program. Youth development professionals in a range of settings--urban and rural, well-established and emerging programs, technology-focused and otherwise--are using The YouthLearn Guide to guide and improve their practices in youth development. Stay tuned for YouthLearn Practitioner Spotlights, featuring the ways that people in the field have drawn on YouthLearn resources in their work. If you wish to contribute your own story or if you have any questions about The YouthLearn Guide, please contact Monica Biswas.

The CTC VISTA Program, housed at UMASS Boston, is a national initiative to place volunteers in community technology programs across the United States.Supported by the National Service Agency, 45 VISTA volunteers are working to strengthen existing programs and assist in sustainability
efforts.

YouthLearn is thrilled to be a designated VISTA site and to welcome Lauren Penney to our team. Lauren is working with the YouthLearn staff on the development of new offerings, expanding our website, assisting with research and community networking and helping to create new national communication efforts. Read Lauren's complete bio.
http://www.cpcs.umb.edu/VISTA/