MOUSE Squad Kids Repair Computers and Build Life Skills, MercuryNews.com
By Mike Cassidy, Mercury News Columnist
So I'm at the punch bowl during one of those end-of-the-school-year events that roll around with stunning frequency this time of year when I see this guy headed straight for me with that unmistakable obsessive networker look in his eye.
And sure enough, he's reaching for a business card as he launches into his elevator pitch about how he took his enterprise from almost nothing to a robust organization, about how his work has changed his life while improving the lives of others, etc.
Did I mention the guy was a freshman? In high school? Meet Michael Wraa, president of the Aragon High School Mouse Squad club. (You might as well meet him. He's sure to introduce himself to you soon enough.) He was at the Tech Museum in San Jose to join those celebrating another year of Mouse Squad of California, a nonprofit that helps schools teach kids how computers and software work and prepare them to provide campus tech support. (Sorry, no house calls. They help only 
at their schools.)
"It's given me an opportunity to repair technology," Wraa tells me. "It's given me leadership opportunities."
And business opportunities. Turns out Wraa has taken some of his Mouse Squad skills and started his own Web design/photography/computer engineering business. (Beats mowing lawns.) The club has helped him make friends, he says, and better understand the point of learning about math, science and technology.
The kid got my attention. I'd been thinking lately about the technology gaps in California schools. Mouse Squad (as in computer mouse) endeavors to help fill one: the need for people to keep school computers and other technology running. Like almost everything about technology in schools, the program is a patchwork. Jan Half, Mouse Squad's program director, says the California initiative has grown from five schools six years ago to 80 statewide now. About 30 of those are in Silicon Valley, each typically paying a fee of $1,500 for the program. In return, the schools get training for teachers, who serve as advisers, and a comprehensive curriculum that teaches kids everything from how to take a computer apart to how to understand a user's frantic complaint.
Some schools offer Mouse Squad as an elective. Others make it an after-school club. Many deputize the members as tech support workers, who respond to emergency breakdowns, freezes, crashes, operator errors and general befuddlement.
"It's been a real service to us," Carla Haakma, principal at Los Arboles Elementary School in San Jose, tells me a few days after the Tech bash. "They go through 20 lessons and learn about troubleshooting, defragging a computer. They also learn to take apart a hard drive, add memory.''
With school budgets stretched thin, it's wonderful what these kids can do for computers. But that's not the best thing.
"I think the best thing about the Mouse Squad is what it's done for the kids themselves,'' says Haakma, who oversees a school where nearly all the kids receive free or subsidized lunches. "It's built a lot of confidence. It really does a lot for their self-esteem." Haakma walks me over to the school library, where the 20-member Mouse Squad is holding its weekly after-school session. In a time when educators and employers are racking their brains for ways to encourage students to gravitate toward tech, this might be one: Get them involved early in technology work that actually makes a difference.
"It's fun," says Gurteg Singh, a fifth-grader and Mouse Squad veteran. "We also get to fix all the teachers' problems."
And the kids in the library begin recounting just what problems: They helped Mrs. Smith with her new interactive electronic white board; slew Ms. Morse's high-tech white board problems, too. Fifth-grader Daniel Ochoa reveled in the joy of replacing a computer's cooling fan that very day: "It was pretty fascinating." Monique Nguyen, another fifth-grader, says she took her skills home to revive her parents' computer.
It's hard to beat helping someone who needs it, the kids say.
"It always makes me feel good," says Byran Adams, a fourth-grader, "because I've accomplished a mission.''
Yeah, it's a good feeling. And a great lesson that goes well beyond technology.
View the MercuryNews.com article: MOUSE Squad Kids Repair Computers and Build Life Skills
The list of what I have learned from the MOUSE Squad program can go on forever. The training has helped me to be confident about what I do and has taught me... read more ›
– Jessica Alberto, MOUSE Squad Member, Thomas A. Edison Career & Technology High School
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TechCrew allows me to start my day working with a group of students that have true passion and dedication…TechCrew teaches our students how to work as part of a group and leaves them... read more ›
– Marcos Alcozer, Northside College Prep High School, Chicago
MOUSE Squad has provided invaluable assistance to our school and made technology easy for our entire staff. Those on MOUSE Squad are surrounded by students who are successful inside and outside the classroom. read more ›
– Anthony Barbetta, Principal, Thomas A. Edison Career & Technology High School
I recognize MOUSE for its dedication to providing our city’s schools with the technological tools and support to keep our children competitive in the information age. read more ›
– Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor, New York City
The experiences that MOUSE provides its participants help ensure that high school graduates are prepared for good jobs during the summer and in their future careers. MOUSE’s unique emphasis on technology training... read more ›
– Gale Brewer, New York City Council Member, Technology Committee Chair
I love finishing school and coming to MOUSE. I love the teamwork and the time to learn new things about computers. read more ›
– Aram Buenaventura, MOUSE Squad Member, High School for Arts & Technology
MOUSE and SAP apply the same core values – quality, integrity, commitment, and passion – to our organizations. We see MOUSE Corps students as our next generation of employees and customers. MOUSE empowers... read more ›
– Ron Carolan, Chief Financial Officer, SAP Global Marketing
We must leverage technology to provide engaging, powerful learning experiences for all students, giving them authentic tools to solve real-world problems and opportunities to become better prepared for our globally competitive workforce. read more ›
– Karen Cator, Director of the Office of Educational Technology, U.S. Department of Education
When I started the internship, my manager brought me to the trading floor. It was the best thing in the world to see all the traders and to know they were my clients,... read more ›
– Duckens Durosier, MOUSE Squad Alum, George Wingate High School
Being on MOUSE Squad adds to my experience in school by making me confident about myself. read more ›
– Daniela Fernandez, MOUSE Squad Member, Sylvandale Middle School, California
Our MOUSE Squad students stand a little taller. They recognize that they have special skills and are respected for it.
– Dr. Katherine Flori, MOUSE Squad Coordinator, W.C Byrant High School, New York
To me, programs like this don't exactly go to every school around. I enjoy the program and what they teach. My interest in technology has enhanced greatly because of MOUSE Squad. read more ›
– Ally Garcia, MOUSE Squad Member, High School for Arts & Technology
Participating in the MOUSE Squad gave me a true sense of purpose. I never could have imagined in just 8 years, I would be CEO of my own technology consulting firm and... read more ›
– Juan Garzon, MOUSE Squad Alum, Robert F. Wagner Secondary School for Arts & Technology,
The people at MOUSE are a living, breathing testament to the notion that when an organization is centered around a thoughtful and attainable goal—staffed by competent, bright and passionate individuals—there is very little... read more ›
– Mehran Ghaffarsamar , MOUSE Intern, Baruch College
Our MOUSE Squad students are demonstrating leadership skills, learning about responsibilities and how to communicate with adults. This program is inspiring our students and giving them a glimpse of future career opportunities. read more ›
– Carla Haakma, Principal, Los Arboles Elementary School, California
MOUSE Squad students learn many skills frequently cited by employers as keys to success in the workplace, including leadership, communication, teamwork problem solving and time management. read more ›
– Jan Half, Executive Director, MOUSE Squad of California
We recognize that student attendance and graduation are increasingly important issues facing public schools. We are looking to target specific schools as we have seen the TechCrew program have a positive impact in... read more ›
– Victor Herrera, Director of Technology, Theodore Roosevelt High School, Chicago
For our school, MOUSE Squad plays an integral role in supporting our technology, saving us both time and money. But more importantly, students participate in positive experiences that give them a strong... read more ›
– Seth Hubbert, Faculty Coordinator, High School for Arts & Technology
What excites me most about MOUSE Squad is going to fix computers and hanging out with friends. I really think MOUSE Squad pushes you to try and learn new things. read more ›
– Danielle Jacobs, MOUSE Squad Member, Cooper High School, Abilene Texas
I feel like I'm a part of an important team that keeps the school running more efficiently...Being on TechCrew helps improve the leadership qualities that we, as students, are developing for the future. read more ›
– Edwin Le, Northside College Preparatory High School, Chicago
MOUSE has been able to light my path of maturity. Being shown everything I can do, and looking back at everything I’ve been a part of, I now realize what I want... read more ›
– Ryan Mason, MOUSE Squad Alum, School of the Future
MOUSE Squad has taught me the skills I need for the future. read more ›
– Ismelda Monegro, Bea Fuller Rodgers School, New York
MOUSE brought me where I stand today and gave me real life work experience. MOUSE taught me about leadership and teamwork, and that there is no such thing as a bad idea. read more ›
– Dhondup Namgyal, MOUSE Corps Member, International High School
The MOUSE Squad students are very curious and want to learn. Everyone knows about the MOUSE Squad in this school. read more ›
– Emmanuel Ourum, CUNY Intern, PS 43 MOUSE Squad
Leadership, pride, self confidence and a sense of responsibility -- this is the impact of the MOUSE Squad program on our students. read more ›
– Norma Perez, Principal, Bea Fuller Rodgers School, New York
MOUSE Squad has proven time and again that students who graduate after participating are more equipped for the next stage in their lives, especially in today’s vast information technology world. This program... read more ›
– Christine C. Quinn, Speaker, New York City Council
Thanks to Abilene Independent School District (AISD) for incorporating such a program and major kudos to Nathan Monroe, MOUSE Squad Coordinator, ATEMS. He actively leads a group that daily makes the teacher’s lives... read more ›
– Rebecca Rampy, Instruction Technology Specialist, Academy of Technology, Engineering, Math and Science (ATEMS) in Abilene, Texas
MOUSE empowers students to lead and support the use of technology in their schools, while also helping them to discover their creative, technological, and learning potential. read more ›
– Linda G. Roberts, National Consultant on Technology and Education
I thank MOUSE for starting my career. Without MOUSE, I would not be as successful as I am today. read more ›
– Mendy Rodriguez, MOUSE Squad Alum; Junior Analyst, IT Service Desk, Time Inc.
Thanks to efforts of MOUSE, young people throughout New York City will have the opportunity to better their lives and become productive members of our society.
– Charles E. Schumer, United States Senator for New York
I commend MOUSE for improving the educational opportunities for young people, motivating them to attend college and preparing them for high quality jobs in the future. read more ›
– José E. Serrano, Congressman, 16th District of New York
Watching MOUSE Squad grow from a pilot to an established entity has been a thrilling experience. I’ve seen my students grow from tentative kids, virtually afraid of touching machines, to savvy technicians,... read more ›
– Kiri Soares, Principal, Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science for Young Women
MOUSE has provided life changing experiences for me that have added tremendously to my passion for technology… regardless of the company or industry, you will always need technology and the skills we learn... read more ›
– Leroy Tindi, MOUSE Squad Alum, Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy
We try to focus on career readiness, laying the foundation and opening their eyes to careers they might consider in the future. I tell my students that if they want to be... read more ›
– Matthew Valia, MOUSE Squad Coordinator, Berta A. Drefus School
MOUSE is an excellent example of rethinking how to put students at the center of their own learning and reorganizing schools around their motivations and strengths. read more ›
– Arthur VanderVeen, Chief of Innovation Strategy and Policy, NYC Department of Education
Through the CPS TechCrew program, I have learned how to explore computers, how to fix problems that are usually deferred to someone else, and what it's like to work on a team that... read more ›
– Simon Vecchioni, CPS TechCrew Member, Northside College Prep High School, Chicago
I believe strongly in public education and the opportunity it can and should provide to all. MOUSE provides a valuable service, closing the gap between heavily resourced schools and those in underserved areas. read more ›
– Peter Vincent, Head of Human Resources, Time Inc.
What excites me most about being part of this program is that I get to interact with other students who share the same goals and who hope to learn more on how to... read more ›
– Monique Williams, Chicago TechCrew Member, Tarkington School of Excellence
MOUSE taught me perspective, a way of working with people and how to think, speak and write in a professional way. read more ›
– Syed Zaidi, MOUSE Squad Alum, Baccalaureate School for Global Education
