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One Civic Square Carmel, IN 46032
Contact: Nancy Heck
E-Mail: nheck@carmel.in.gov
Phone: (317) 571-2494
Nancy Heck
The
Department of Community Relations
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City of Carmel
One Civic Square Carmel, IN 46032
News Release
Date:
March 19, 2008
Contact:
Nancy Heck
(317) 571-2494
Release:
Immediate
www.netliteracy.org
Carmel Mayor Jim
Brainard Recognizes Net Literacy’s
Five Years of Extraordinary Community Service
Carmel, IN – On March 24, 2008 at
3:30 p.m. at
Carmel High School,
Mayor Jim Brainard will recognize the student volunteers
of Net Literacy with a proclamation commending their five
years of service and contributions to the City of Carmel and
other cities throughout Indiana. Net Literacy, originally
called Senior Connects, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization that began in 2003 to help others by increasing
computer access, computer and Internet literacy, and
Internet safety awareness.
In May of 2003, Net Literacy founder, Daniel Kent, an eighth
grade student at Carmel Middle School at the time, called
Carmel Mayor, Jim Brainard, and asked him for help. Daniel
and a group of students wanted to hold their first computer
drive so they could build computer labs in senior citizen
community centers and independent living facilities. To
Daniel’s surprise, the Mayor offered to hold the computer
drive in Carmel City Hall.
Kent stated, “The Mayor’s support and a story shown on
‘Connecting with Carmel’ on Carmel Government’s Channel
16 really helped us when we were just starting out.” Kent
was also amazed to see the amount of support that a group of
eighth grade students received from the City. The support
truly helped to provide Net Literacy with the credibility it
needed to enable the organization to go forth and try to
make a difference.
For Net Literacy, “making a difference” includes providing
increased computer access to over 65,000 individuals in four
states, recruiting U.S. Senators Richard Lugar and Evan Bayh
to serve as Net Literacy’s Honorary Co-Chairs, and working
together with State Representative David Orentlicher to have
the Indiana Legislature pass the “Net Literacy Day”
resolution. Net Literacy also has received awards from
national leaders, ranging from an award received from former
President Clinton to President Bush presenting an award
during a White House ceremony.
Net Literacy also has received much support from the local
business community. “Almost since our inception, Bright
House Networks has been Net Literacy’s primary partner in
the Carmel and Marion County areas. Over the years, the
company has contributed over $100,000 to support our efforts
to promote computer literacy and Internet safety. Bright
House really took a chance on a bunch of middle school
students who asked them for support many years ago – and
that has made all the difference.
Bright House
Networks helps us in many ways, including providing one
of their executives to serve on our Board of Directors,”
says Kent.
Currently, Carmel remains the hub of Net Literacy’s
activities with a new generation of student volunteers that
repurpose computers and continue to teach senior citizens
and others computer and Internet skills. Carmel High School
students have named their Net Literacy club “Carmel
Connects.” Morgan Yang and Sachin Santhakumar serve as
Co-Presidents of the Carmel Connects Club, and oversee a
wide range of activities. “Every week, our club meets to
repurpose computers, some of which go to eligible families
of students at Carmel elementary schools. It’s a great
feeling to know that we’re able to touch families and really
help make a difference in these children’s success at
school,” says Yang. Co-President Santhakumar agrees adding,
“Another of our current initiatives is increasing internet
safety awareness. We filmed three internet safety public
service announcements in January that will run on Bright
House cable, and are producing a one hour Internet safety
program for high school students and their parents that will
also be available to everyone on Bright House’s local Video
on Demand service.” The internet safety production will be
filmed by Carmel High School students.
“This is the fourth year that the Senior Connects/Net
Literacy program has helped to teach Carmel senior citizens
computer and Internet skills,” says Omar Bari, team leader
of a group of Carmel High School students who are finishing
their third year of working with seniors at Manor Care at
Summer Trace. Bari also stated, “This is my fourth year
volunteering on Saturdays with the Senior Connects/Net
Literacy program, and it’s the greatest feeling helping them
learn how to use email so they can stay in touch with their
families. I don’t know who gets the most out of it – the
senior citizens or us, the student volunteers.”
“One important difference about Net Literacy is that it is
student-empowered,” says Will Petrovic, a Carmel High School
Junior who was recently appointed to the Net Literacy Board.
The nonprofit organization was founded by students and even
today, student volunteers comprise half of Net Literacy’s
20-person board. Students manage the four core programs as
well as all of the day-to-day activities. Kelley added,
“Because Net Literacy is student managed, we are always
looking for our next generation of student leaders. Together
with Carmel High School Junior Katherine Hill, Will
represents the next year’s leadership for Net Literacy.”
“I am proud that the City was able to assist an organization
that has engaged over 650 student volunteers during the past
five years,” says Mayor Brainard. “These students have done
an extraordinary job helping to increase digital inclusion,
and the City is proud to recognize them by a proclamation
honoring them for five years of extraordinary service.”
-end-
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