Proud Moments

I know you've had them...those moments when you've worked hard at something and hoped all the moving pieces will come together even better than you anticipated. Or, those moments when you've felt a need, had a vision to meet the need, poured sweat and tears into making the vision come to fruition, spent endless hours talking to God about the project; from every detail to every struggle and every personal triumph along the way; and then, stood back to watch God bring all the parts together. If you're like us, it's in those moments that you feel God smile, that you wish you had hired a bunch of cheerleaders to commemorate the moment, and that you wish your friends and family had a better idea of all the time you spent on the project.

It's safe to say moments like these have been apart of the building of our technology center. One of those stand-back, wish-the-cheerleaders-were present-moments was with the inauguration of our latest computer course for high school students. For these particular courses, Sunshine has teamed up with Chicago's After School Matters (ASM) invitative - an intitiative founded by Maggie Daley. This is the fourth session our Center's Director, Vince McCaskill, has taught in our new facility. Previously this year, Vince taught a a couple courses entitled, "The Business of Web Design". He recently switched things up, starting a new course for high schoolers in small home networking.

ASM courses are conducted with a good amount of seriousness; after signing up online, students must interview for a spot in the course and, based upon the interview, Vince decides if they will be able to enroll. ASM awards students stipends provided they remain engaged in the material and and continue to (punctually) attend. These technology courses have a capacity of 22 students. This semester more than 22 students interviewed for the course, 22 were chosen, and we are now at maxed capacity; Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. every one of our technology center's computers are in use!!!

Yesterday when I visited the class students were using Microsoft Office to develop proposals for a hypothethical client for a network design and installation package. This proposal included the scope, price, equipment, and labor for the project. These pictures were taken during that particular class session.

Vince has given of his extenstive technology skills in develop these courses and it's been an immense encouragement to see high school students seize the experience.

We welcome all cheerleaders who wish to share share with us in the success of the class. :-)