Evening on the Bridge: A celebration of computer literacy

Kay Bourne

Edward DeMore, a tech advisor to Mayor Thomas Menino, had an idea. A local computer company had donated 1,000 computers for use in the community. But DeMore refused to let them go unless the three neighborhood organizations agreed to his non-negotiable terms—parental involvement.

They did, finally, but remained skeptical if that involvement would actually happen. It did.

Last Thursday, in an elegant white tent straight of out high society, some 800 mostly black and Latino teens — and their parents — celebrated the fifth year of the after-school lessons in computer literacy. The Bridge programming (which also has high tech instruction in schoolrooms) has now given away those 1000 computers plus 740 more that parents bought at lower costs after completion of the 10-week training course.

The Baker-Walker family took double advantage of the program offered at Roxbury Multi-Service Center, the lead organization for the Grove Hall neighborhood. And this family has taken two computers home.

“The course was very informative,” said mom, Reenese Baker-Walker. “It motivated us. I knew nothing about computers when I entered the program. Now I use it every day for budgeting and finance and I’m starting my own business as a result. The kids use it for homework.”

A beaming Mayor Thomas Menino welcomed the families from the nine other neighborhood centers offering the Technology Goes Home program.

He said that more than 1700 families “now have computers at home because of the program.

“We’ll give you the tools,” he said speaking directly to the children in the gathering, “as long as you pay attention in the classroom. Work hard in school and you can be anything you want to be later in life.”

In the blessing, Reverend Ray Hammond told the crowd gathered near White Stadium in Franklin Park to take a moment and think of “the pictures coming out of Houston. I feel a great sorrow and pain seeing the TV coverage but it also reminds me how blessed I am. How blessed we are.” The audience shouted out an “Amen!”

A clown in floppy feet juggled to the amusement of the little ones who scrambled to pick up the pins he (purposely) dropped. There was airbrush face painting from Barry Productions for the youngsters who enjoy artful masks. Dinner was plentiful with salmon, chicken, rolls and vegetables, and dessert was a variety of chocolate bon-bons. White linen cloths covered tables throughout the enormous tent; dinner was served on china plates with silverware, not plastic knives and forks. Everyone was dressed for the formal night out.

A highlight was a talent show with representatives from some of the participating after-school computer training sites. Dychell Reeves AKA “Shiki” singing “Why I Love You So Much” won third place — $150 — for the Uphams Corner/Dudley neighborhood sites; CVG, a trio of hip hop dancers (Diva Conway, Alla Walker, and Cheyenne Walker) took second, winning $250 for Roxbury Multi Service Centers’ programming; and a company of dancers and drummers from the Hernandez School won top honors, a check for $750 for their school’s computer training program.

The Boston Public Schools was the first urban school system to have high speed networks in every school. Echo Tsai, founder and CEO of HiQ Computers gave the first 1000 computers to start up the after school program. Edward DeMore, Steven Gag and Jacqueline Collins run the Boston Digital Bridge Foundation, which has sites in Allston-Brighton, Codman Square, Mission Hill and the Fenway, the South End, Lower Roxbury, Uphams Corner and Dudley Square.

For more information you can call 617-918-4343 or go online to www.digitalbridgefoundation.org.