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 Simply the Best!
Community-based After-School
Technology & Science
Goals and Purposes:
 One of the cy.Scan projects in the Five Points neighborhood involves after-school technology and science classes. There are two main purposes of this program. The first is to provide instruction in science and math for 7th through 12th graders during after-school hours in the Five Points neighborhood of northeast Denver and within the context of community-based activist projects. The program is designed especially for girls and minorities in ways that have been shown to attach youth to learning, to school, to the study of science and math, and to civic participation in their communities.
The second main purpose is to ensure that community youth master basic and sophisticated computer and technology skills as a way to increase their ability to succeed in school, and to succeed economically after they complete their education.
Components:
There are four main components to the program. First, the Five Points community has historically been a rich cultural resource for the Colorado African-American community, although economically and educationally poor. At the invitation of a community organizer,and with support from the CU Outreach Committee we started classes on December 1, 1999. These classes were for 8th grade African American girls and included sophisticated biology (biochemistry, cell organelles, plant structure and functions) and technology (graphics, multimedia authoring, desktop publishing, JAVA programming).
Central Baptist Church-- where we hold class.
In September, 2000, with additional funding from the Women's Foundation and the Rose Community Foundation we added two more classes: an after-school science and technology class for middle school Latinas and a Saturday afternoon class and "open lab" for high school girls.
Our 2001 end of the year celebration
(Note: the blurred faces are intentional to protect student identities).
Keeping up with the "Digital Divide" and trying to increase access to technology is vital. If you would like to donate a computer please email Leslie or call 303-492-8583.
For more information on some of our initial findings, see Results.
The Women's Foundation of Colorado has provided funds to the Center for Youth in Science, Culture & NewMedia at the University of Colorado at Boulder, for support of Simply the Best! programming.
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