THE WEB CENTER AT W.E.B. DUBOIS HIGH SCHOOL, IT OCCUPIES A ROOM AT THE HIGH SCHOOL OPEN TO STUDENTS BY DAY AND TO COMMUNITY RESIDENTS DURING NON-SCHOOL HOURS. THE WEB CENTER HAS THE FOLLOWING EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES:

+ TOP OF THE LINE COMPUTERS, PROCESSORS, AND DSL ACCESS TO UPGRADE COMPUTERS AND INTERNET SKILLS FOR STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY

+ MULTI-MEDIA STATION- FOR THE CREATION OF MUSIC, VIDEOS, AND OTHER COMPUTER-BASED ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTS.

+ GRAPHIC SERVICE STATION- FOR THE CREATION OF COMPUTERIZED DRAWING AND PAINTINGS, SUCH AS ART WORK, TEXTILE DESIGN, OR ARCHITECTURE DRAWING.

+ RESOURCE LIBRARY- TO SERVE THE EDUCATIONAL AND BUSINESS NEEDS OF PEOPLE UTILIZING THE WEB CENTER.

+ INTRUCTORS- TO EDUCATE STUDENTS IN THE USE OF THE TECHNOLOGY AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND INSTRUCTION FOR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS.

PREMISE

INTERNET ACCESS IS CRUCIAL TO TWO COMPONENTS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN CROWN HEIGHTS: EMPLOYABILITY AND NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS OF CROWN HEIGHTS ARE NOTABLY UNDER-REPRESENTED SO FAR AS INTERNET ACCESS IS CONCERNED. AT LEAST TWO CAUSES MAY BE ADDUCED: A) LACK OF OPPORTUNITY, B) LACK OF INTEREST OR KNOWLEDGE. THE WEB CENTER HAS RESPONDED TO BOTH CAUSES: A) BY PLACING AN INTERNET ACCESS CENTER IN CROWN HEIGHTS AND OPENING IT TO W.E.B. DUBOIS STUDENTS AND TO COMMUNITY RESIDENTS, B) BY STIMULATING INTEREST THROUGH THE AVAILABILITY OF HIGH-END COMPUTER BASED TECHNOLOGY TO SURF THE NET, CREATE CD'S, MUSIC VIDEOS, AND DESIGN GRAPHIC ARTS, DRAWINGS, AND OTHER VISUAL MEDIA. USE OF THE WEB CENTER WILL STIMULATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY INCREASING COMPUTER TOOLS FOR NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP COMPUTER AND INTERNET SKILLS THAT ENHANCE THEIR EMPLOYABILITY.

W.E.B DUBOIS HIGH SCHOOL

STUDENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL TEND TO BE OLDER, TO HAVE FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES, AND TO BE BOTH COLLEGE AND VOCATIONALLY ORIENTED. A NUMBER OF STUDENTS HAVE BEEN KEPT BACK OR HAVE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY AT OTHER SCHOOLS. FOR SOME, W.E.B. DUBOIS MAY BE THEIR LAST CHANGE TO GET AN EDUCATION AND PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR EMPLOYMENT. THE WEB CENTER WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THEM DURING SCHOOL HOURS. CURRICULA WILL BE DEVELOPED ON SUCH SUBJECTS AS BUSINESS USE OF THE COMPUTER AND INTERNET RESEARCH. THE SCHOOL DOES NOT HAVE A COMPUTER LAB OR CENTER. DELL'S WEB CART IS A GOOD MATCH FOR THE SCHOOL, SINCE IT IS PORTABLE AND ALLOWS LAPTOPS TO BE SETUP IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT CLASSROOMS. ACCESS TO THE NET IS WIRELESS, HENCE EMPHASIZING PORTABILITY, FLEXIBILITY, FORESHADOWING THE WORLD OF BUSINESS TO COME.

COMMUNITY ACCESS

DURING NON-SCHOOL HOURS, THE WEB CENTER WILL BE OPEN TO COMMUNITY RESIDENTS FOR A SMALL HOURLY FEE. THE FEE OFFSETS OPERATING COSTS BEYOND THE STARTUP PERIOD. RESIDENTS WILL BE EXPOSED TO THE MOST ADVANCED COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY. THE COMPUTER WILL BE PRESENTED NOT ONLY AS A "SMALL TYPEWRITER" OR FIXED TERMINAL FOR ENTERTAINING GAMES, IT WILL BE SEEN IN ITS ROLE AS HIGHLY PORTABLE, SUPER FAST PORTABLE, FAST PORTAL TO A DYNAMIC, BOUNDARY-LESS WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY, INFORMATION, AND NEW POSSIBLITIES. RESIDENTS WILL ACCESS THE INTERNET. THEY WILL ENHANCE CREATIVE EXPRESSION THROUGH A COMPUTERIZED MULTIMEDIA STATION. THEY CAN WRITE, PAINT, DRAW, MAKE AND EDIT MUSIC, MAKE AND EDIT MOVIES, AND PERFORM THEIR COMPLETED WORK. THEY WILL LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR NEW BUSINESS, PROBABLY HIGHLY ENTREPREURIAL.