Help Build A Bridge To Opportunity
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When I was in elementary school, I was given a test to determine my IQ. Apparently, the test went well, because I was placed in a program known as MG, or Mentally Gifted. At the time, I had no idea what that meant, other than for one day a week (I believe it was Tuesdays) I got to go to a special room where we learned all kinds of neat stuff and had access to Apple II computers. At that time, computers in a school were a luxury.
During my time in MG, I learned how to write code in BASIC, work with primitive graphics, and perform basic computer animation. I looked forward to Tuesdays, because I loved getting to use the computer and learning new things.
A few years later, I heard the term “Digital Divide”, which I understood as the disparity between more affluent schools having broad access to technology as opposed to urban, poorer schools having little or none. I also understood the term as describing those with lover economic status not having access to technology, which was becoming ever more important in our daily lives.
Kids who did not own or have access to a computer were at a distinct disadvantage, especially when it came to doing research, and writing essays or term papers. The Digital Divide grew, with no end in sight.
Of course, politicians did what they could to try to equalize the situation, with a focus on schools. While some of those initiatives paid off, there remained a gap in computer ownership at home. Having access to a computer lab was useless when all the computers were always occupied. There were just not enough computers for all the students that needed them.
These days, the proliferation of mobile devices have led many to argue that the Digital Divide no longer exists. It is indeed true that most of us carry a computer in our pockets; it is also true that these computers, while powerful tools, do not address technological needs that continue to go unmet.
A phone is not an efficient tool for creating a resume. A phone cannot be used effectively to code a website. Mobile devices provide a great window to the Internet, but at the same time they give a false sense of power that is not challenged until one needs to do something that a phone or tablet is not designed for.
So, what is the solution? While public schools struggle with ever shrinking budgets and often can’t keep up with changing technologies and operating systems, I believe a solution will be offered through an organization that I envision, called Bridge to Opportunity.
Why Bridge to Opportunity?
One of the things I realized back in elementary school was that I was privileged to have access to those Apple II computers. Very few of my classmates had that access, nor would they have such access for years. It was that access that sparked my passion for technology. I thought, how many other kids would have a creative awakening just from learning what computers allowed them to do? How many more would become interested in STEM careers?
Bridge to Opportunity (BTO) aims, through scholarships and other initiatives, to make cutting edge technologies available to everyone, especially those of lower economic status. This will enable young people to discover and explore career options that may have previously seemed completely out of reach.
I started this fundraiser to launch Bridge To Opportunity as a nonprofit organization that will serve the community through scholarships, state of the art computer labs, and low cost training.
Your donation will help equip students who are pursuing higher education with the tools they need to succeed!
During my time in MG, I learned how to write code in BASIC, work with primitive graphics, and perform basic computer animation. I looked forward to Tuesdays, because I loved getting to use the computer and learning new things.
A few years later, I heard the term “Digital Divide”, which I understood as the disparity between more affluent schools having broad access to technology as opposed to urban, poorer schools having little or none. I also understood the term as describing those with lover economic status not having access to technology, which was becoming ever more important in our daily lives.
Kids who did not own or have access to a computer were at a distinct disadvantage, especially when it came to doing research, and writing essays or term papers. The Digital Divide grew, with no end in sight.
Of course, politicians did what they could to try to equalize the situation, with a focus on schools. While some of those initiatives paid off, there remained a gap in computer ownership at home. Having access to a computer lab was useless when all the computers were always occupied. There were just not enough computers for all the students that needed them.
These days, the proliferation of mobile devices have led many to argue that the Digital Divide no longer exists. It is indeed true that most of us carry a computer in our pockets; it is also true that these computers, while powerful tools, do not address technological needs that continue to go unmet.
A phone is not an efficient tool for creating a resume. A phone cannot be used effectively to code a website. Mobile devices provide a great window to the Internet, but at the same time they give a false sense of power that is not challenged until one needs to do something that a phone or tablet is not designed for.
So, what is the solution? While public schools struggle with ever shrinking budgets and often can’t keep up with changing technologies and operating systems, I believe a solution will be offered through an organization that I envision, called Bridge to Opportunity.
Why Bridge to Opportunity?
One of the things I realized back in elementary school was that I was privileged to have access to those Apple II computers. Very few of my classmates had that access, nor would they have such access for years. It was that access that sparked my passion for technology. I thought, how many other kids would have a creative awakening just from learning what computers allowed them to do? How many more would become interested in STEM careers?
Bridge to Opportunity (BTO) aims, through scholarships and other initiatives, to make cutting edge technologies available to everyone, especially those of lower economic status. This will enable young people to discover and explore career options that may have previously seemed completely out of reach.
I started this fundraiser to launch Bridge To Opportunity as a nonprofit organization that will serve the community through scholarships, state of the art computer labs, and low cost training.
Your donation will help equip students who are pursuing higher education with the tools they need to succeed!
Organizer
Brian Lipscomb
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA
