ABOUT US

Program

What

WiredWoods has invested 600+ hours developing an innovative, hands-on curriculum that

1. teaches multimedia production
2. reinforces literacy
3. develops 21st century work skills

in as few as 15-20 program hours.

Participants learn to work in teams to build group web sites that communicate their ideas. While meeting explicit learning goals (aligned with many learning standards identified in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks) and developing valuable work habits, children have fun and increase self-esteem. They also present their final work.

Where

WiredWoods does not run its own classes. Instead, we partner with organizations to teach our proven curriculum in after-school and summer programs, schools and summer camps. We are true collaborators and partner with many top-quality organizations.

Who

WiredWoods works with the participants of our partner organizations. In our first four years, we impacted over 1000 youth – 61% African-American, 24% White, 14% Latino(a) and 1% Asian. More than half of WiredWoods participants are girls (54%), and an estimated 80 percent are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals at school. Geographically, 63% are from Boston—Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, Hyde Park, and Roslindale. The balance reside in over 40 cities/towns of Eastern Massachusetts, including Cambridge, Charlestown, Malden, Saugus, Lynn, Brockton, Randolph, Lowell, Mashpee, Brewster, and New Bedford.

How

1 Partner with schools, after school/summer programs and summer camps serving at-risk youth Our partners include Citizen Schools, TechBoston Academy, Crossroads for Kids Camp Wing and Camp Mitton, The Media and Technology Charter High School, and Madison Park Development Corporation/ Technology Goes Home All of our partners provide the site and the participants. Ideally we operate on a train-the-trainer model where WiredWoods provides the curriculum, training, evaluation, program support and assistance on computers and hiring teachers.
	2 Enable youth to create with - not just consume - technology WiredWoods specially designed project-based curriculum is carefully integrated into our host sites’ programming or courses. In as few as 15-20 contact-hours, participants learn to take digital pictures, edit images, combine them with text they write and work as a team to build group web sites that communicate their content. While meeting explicit learning goals, children have fun and develop self-esteem. We then celebrate their successes in writing, teamwork, leadership and setting and achieving goals. For sites who want to teach more, an additional 15 hours of projects add animation and sound editing while reinforcing previous skills. The web sites created reflect the organization using the WiredWoods curriculum – academic work in schools, teen empowerment at community-based organizations and creative writing at camps.
	3 Develop technical and personal skills by building group web sites The WiredWoods curriculum challenges children to utilize: Digital cameras Image-editing software (Adobe Photoshop Elements) Basic HTML coding Web design programs ( e.g. Macromedia Dreamweaver or Adobe GoLive ) Animation ( e.g. Macromedia Flash or Adobe LiveMotion ) - part of "More WiredWoods" curriculum for returning campers Audio editing software (Adobe Audition)
The program also provides a platform for the children to develop important life skills such as creativity, cooperation, leadership, self-esteem and communication through interactions with other students, teachers and staff. An experienced staff with a mix of education and technology resumes guides the children. WiredWoods’ teachers facilitate hands-on, real-world learning while acting as coaches and technology mentors.
	4 Celebrate and share success At the end of each program, the WiredWoods teams show off their web sites to other students, teachers, supporters and/or press at Celebration Day. This final exercise develops presentation skills while reinforcing the pride and self-esteem generated from successful completion of a group project. To quote teacher Ellen Marie Murphy,
"The greatest thing about this program is that the kids have tried a different job and have been successful at it. They made a goal and reached it. They experienced success that they may not have experienced before. This has huge benefits, regardless of whether they ever go to a Boys & Girls club or build another web site. This is a major life-defining event for some kids whose benefit may not be felt for many years."
5 Help interested youth “do more” with computers After the program ends, WiredWoods helps interested youth find more ways to work with technology, whether through their school, after-school program or local computers at their local Community Technology Center or Boys & Girls Club.