Technology ties to great futures

  • Article

Editor's Note: Our thoughts are with those impacted by the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. While it may be some time until the full impact has been assessed, we will continue to work with our nonprofit partners to determine where our support can be of the greatest benefit. More on our efforts supporting relief in Japan can be found here.

Guest Post by: John A. Goslin, Chief Technology Officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of America

RainierVistaTeens2

Teen at Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club, Seattle, WA

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) believes every child has the potential to BE GREAT. In support of this strong conviction, we strive to build caring, responsible citizens. Boys & Girls Club staff, volunteers, parents, youth and supporters work together to put every child in our Clubs on a path to a Great Future.

Technology is playing an increasingly important role in achieving our mission, both in terms of how we support our club members and how we run our national and local organization.

Microsoft Booth at CESFor success in tomorrow’s workplace, today's youth must be digitally literate. Through Club Tech, BGCA is providing a solution to millions of America's youth to ensure they are prepared for success in school and in the future workforce. Beyond playing games and checking email, Club Tech teaches Club members how to work with technology to learn about their world and to communicate their ideas, hopes and dreams.

Today’s Clubs proudly show off and use their technology assets throughout the Club. Technology supports the educational program of the Club as members use the Internet for research and create powerful classroom presentations using Word, PowerPoint and other software. Short films are scripted, shot and edited at Clubs, allowing members to communicate in fun and exciting ways. Cellphone ringtones, digital artwork and musical scores are created by members using their talent and creativity along with technology to support the arts program in the Clubs

Technology is helping our kids to make healthy food and life choices. Using Kinect for Xbox 360, members are now able to use their whole body to play video games – encouraging active, immersive and social experiences, with fitness results to boot. Our kids are learning and being entertained all in an environment that encourages teamwork, healthy behavior, fair play and creativity.

Using Microsoft’s Kodu, BGCA is helping to introduce Club Members to computer programming and helping them advance critical design, math, and problem-solving skills. With Kodu, budding developers string together simple and intuitive cartoon icons that define the rules of their game world. Using this friendly environment, rather than complex programming languages and code, anyone can create their own video game in minutes.

Beyond the walls of our local Clubs, the national organization runs on Microsoft technology. BGCA’s computers run on Windows. Business productivity tools like those in Microsoft Office allow BGCA staff to focus on excellence in programs and mission and easily communicate and collaborate with local Clubs and external partners. SharePoint is increasingly used for collaboration, electronic content management, and publishing. SharePoint is quickly growing in its importance to the organization, as it is now powers our external websites, www.bgca.org, as well as www.myclubmylife.com and www.familyplus.bgca.org. Besides being the online representation of BGCA, our websites enable activities essential to our business and families: facilitating electronic donations to our Clubs, helping kids find a neighborhood Club, recruiting top professionals for our team, the list goes on…

In partnering with Microsoft, BGCA has also found solutions to drive down costs to providing access to technology in our Clubs. Using Windows Multipoint Server, members can share computer resources by having multiple workstations on a single computer retaining a personalized experience for each computer user and allowing oversight by the computer lab director. These types of efficiencies, when multiplied across our Clubs, allow us to provide more focus on driving our mission forward, and minimize concerns about technology costs.

As noted, Microsoft technologies are integral to almost all functions at Boys & Girls Clubs of America from our families to our staff to our online presence. The technologies used by BGCA represent best practices that would be similar to any businesses or organizations that is a Microsoft customer.

What separates BGCA is what is achieved with these technologies. They help to ensure that we can focus on helping all kids achieve the great future they deserve.

Actions to take: