Generation YES Blog

A couple of months ago, I had a great conversation with one of the students in Scott LeDuc’s Generation TECH class (students doing tech support) in Olympia, Washington. He had some ideas about teaching a course at his local community center and wanted to use the online class and project management tools that come with the Generation TECH program to do it. He asked how much it would cost to subscribe since he was putting together a budget.

So I made him a deal. The cost would be that he documented what he did on a blog. Here’s the blog: Freelance Techie

Meet Dillon:

I’m 16, and a Junior in High School. I personally want to become an IT teacher someday, and at the high school level. I’m the Tech Coordinator of DECA, and have been in a GenTECH program for two years, under Mr. Le Duc himself. This year I’m in his Web Development class. I’m also a devoted advocate for Student Voice, and active in the school community to work towards improving community standards where I can. One thing I’m presently working on is trying to get the Olympia School District to allow the high schoolers that are part of a club in Capital host their own webblog for their club directly on the website. (Wordpress to be exact) That way they too can have a say in what’s being published.

With the TLC I am trying to set it up so a classes can be provided to the tribal community to help students gain more tech literacy and get credit in doing so, however that is a long term goal. This will most likely go through the Shelton School District. I have other projects I’m working for in the background, but those are still in development and I’ll release them as they come of age.

The TLC is the Tu Ha’Buts Learning Center on the Squaxin Island Tribal Reservation where he lives. Dillon met with the chairman of his tribe and the education director and came up with a proposal for running a course about open source software.

Dillon kicked off his blog with this: “Let this post mark the declaration of the beginning of my teaching career. (despite college coming somewhere in the middle most likely.)”

I think he has what it takes. He’s already run into one problem familiar to many educators:

Though I must admit, I do have one dilemma I didn’t have the foresight to realize. When I got the budget for the classroom, I didn’t factor in some things that might be useful for the class to run. Hopefully my employer can cover the expense, if not. I’ll just take it out of my paycheck.

This is what you get when you trust kids with responsibility and allow them to take hold of their own future. This is what happens when you tell kids that they can do anything they set their minds to. When you make room in the world for young people who want to help make the world a better place, they step up. It pains me to no end that there are thousands of potential Dillons out there whose passions and talents are being ignored, or worse, vilified.

I can’t wait to see what Dillon does next. When I asked Dillon for his bio, he ended with:

I’m not sure if that’s all you wanted, but that’s what I could think of and having to prepare for the PSAT this next Saturday, and then three weeks from now the SAT; I’m kind of in a hurry since Writing and Reading based on Section 1’s are far from my strong suits and I need to get study materials.

Good luck on your tests. But honestly Dillon, ten years from now no one will remember what you got on the PSAT, even you. Of course you will do your best, it’s easy to tell that you are that kind of person.

But if this project comes off, you will change the lives of others permanently. Your life will change. The world will be a better place.

Welcome to being a teacher, Dillon. We need you.

Sylvia