Edison's MOUSE Squad kids earn honors, Queens Chronicle
Room 111 in Thomas Edison Career and Technology High School was recently filled with appreciative alumni and proud staff members who were there to show recognition toward students who participate in the MOUSE program — Making Opportunities for Upgrading Schools & Education.
Thomas Edison’s principal, Anthony Barbetta, expressed his gratitude as he congratulated the students and let them know that their work for the school was greatly appreciated. Noting that the MOUSE Squad has helped Thomas Edison become a great technological school, he also referred to them as Edison’s own “help desk.”
“MOUSE Squad is on call at all times,” Barbetta said. “In tough budgetary times this group has actually trained our teachers to use a smart board and power point. When it comes to MOUSE Squad I am personally thankful.”
Founded in 1997, MOUSE focuses on making students become the leaders of tomorrow. With a mission of “empowering students to succeed in today’s information society,” MOUSE has given participating students a hands-on experience at future career opportunities while saving schools thousands of dollars.
MOUSE Squad is one of three programs of advancement which MOUSE offers. The second includes MOUSE Corps, which provides internships and career readiness for high school students. The third, MOUSE TechSource, is dedicated to research, evaluation and program improvement.
There to present Edison with a city council proclamation and issue awards was 24th District Councilman James Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows). He congratulated MOUSE Squad members of Edison by saying that the program has really flourished due to their efforts: “It is because of you and what you contribute.”
MOUSE Squad students listened to Gennaro as he spoke about the importance of leadership skills noting that Edison is a “school of leaders,” and added that the MOUSE Squad members are “leaders among leaders.” Seniors like Whaeeda “Alisha” Babar, Muhammad “Waqar” Ahsan, and Zeena Cerdenas were among the program’s leaders and considered MOUSE Squad to be a great experience.
Finding drivers on a laptop, dealing with Ethernet controllers, video and audio is what Babar says she has learned while being a part of MOUSE Squad. “They are the essential things needed to make a computer functional,” she said.
In his first year on MOUSE Squad, Ahsan, who at the time was a junior, watched and learned from the senior members. “I didn’t do much,” he said. I would watch the seniors to gain experience.” Now in his senior year, he does service calls for teachers.
A shop teacher recommended MOUSE Squad for Cerdenas in her junior year but sports obligations hindered her from participating. With hopes to major in computer engineering in college she added that MOUSE Squad opened her eyes. “I am beginning to know more about computers and how they function,” Cerdenas said.
Four alumni of Edison’s MOUSE Squad were in attendance and gave inspirational words of how appreciative they were of their previous MOUSE experience as high school students. They all spoke highly of MOUSE Squad saying that it was an opportunity they were grateful for.
Explaining how MOUSE Squad has helped them to grow, the alumni have become successful as New York City teachers, for example, or members of Best Buys’ computer technology Geek Squad. Others are in City Tech College’s network program and at Time Warner Cable.
Due to the intensity of the program, MOUSE Squad members typically join in their junior or senior year. Alex Bell, MOUSE Squad coordinator at Edison, has strict guidelines that MOUSE Squad members must abide by.
“Squad members are chosen by their character,” Bell said. “This happens throughout the first two weeks of school.” Bell also said that members cannot have a dean’s record or problems with school staffers. Members also must pass all classes and complete bi-weekly write-ups of work that was done for the two weeks.
Bell is confident that all of his MOUSE students will succeed noting that they all are employable. He has seen it all, from when MOUSE Squad had its first eight members in spring 2004, a time when he says they were just finding their way.
“I give them the opportunity to make conscious choices,” Bell said. “If you are a good effective teacher, you will know that you can reach everybody.”
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