Learning Leadership Through Technology

WSULC-NOP was honored to host ten students, aged 15-18 years, from the North Valley Provinces of Imbabura and Pichincha in Ecuador. A two-day workshop was taught by Pamela Roberts, Jefferson County 4-H Coordinator. With the stamina of a marathon runner, Pamela shared her knowledge of many free software programs available. With Pamela's instruction, everyone created an e-mail account with Gmail , created their own blogs using blogger, participated in a Skype conference to Africa, uploaded their pictures from their digital cameras to their blogs, and learned how to use their to use their cell phones as microphones for long distance interviews. Pamela taught them some useful interviewing skills and how to take photos and video and upload it to Youtube and how to embed this video into their blogs. In all, Pamela showed them about 30 different open source programs. Robert Force and Susan Lionhart from the LC staff demonstrated the virtual world of Second Life.

These young people (with teachers & translators Oscar Beltran, Valentina Benavides, Rodrigo Flores and Barry Moses) visited the Learning Center as part of a month-long visit to WSU and Washington State to learn about tools and technology related to democracy, the environment, and leadership. The excursion was funded by the State Department and in order to participate students are part of a rigorous selection process. Theses were top students in their schools and active volunteers and leaders in their home communities for the environment, human rights and democracy.

Colleen Taugher (Coordinator, WSU International Programs) Valentina Benavides (Teacher, Translator, In-Country Partner and Support Services) have been working around the clock with the kids, providing everything they need to make this experience beneficial to the students while they are here and helping them acquire the valuable tools and information they will take back to their homes in Ecuador.

Pamela Roberts created a group blog for the youth leaders and their teachers so they can stay connected with one another and continue to share ideas and information. This blog is beautiful to view, with many pictures of the group's adventures and links to the individual blogs the students created.