She Snoops for Scoops: The Personal Side of the EdNET, Heller Report
Hello, everyone - one week till Christmas now and such a happy time of year. But this darn work keeps getting in the way!;-) Truly, I am thankful for the work…just ready to be in full swing with the holiday! But I do have news to report, so read on for your last scoops of 2007…
There is lots of news from MOUSE Inc. - they have reached an important milestone with their 10th anniversary. On October 30th, MOUSE hosted a Decade of Champions Gala celebration of more than 250 friends and colleagues, ranging from board members and dedicated patrons to recent partners and staff. Among their guests of honor were Speaker Christine Quinn, Chancellor Joel Klein, Nicholas Negroponte, Council Members David Yassky and Gale Brewer. Send congratulations to Carole Wacey, Executive Director, and her team on their 10 years of success.
And MOUSE welcomes a new member to its Board of Directors - Tony DiSanto, Managing Director, CitiGroup. He is responsible for Client Support, Data Centers, Mainframe, Storage, Servers, Network, Voice and Desktops for Citigroup's largest region. Tony has joined the Fundraising and Business Plan Committees. He provided tremendous outreach for the MOUSE Gala and is looking forward to hosting MOUSE interns next summer. Join me in congratulating Tony on joining the Board!
And MOUSE says farewell to Yalda Nikoomanesh, Director of Development. Yalda provided 5 years of wonderful service at MOUSE where she worked with staff to develop fundraising strategies to support programs. She will be exploring new programmatic opportunities in the field of sustainable development. We wish Yalda well as she moves on to pursue new career opportunities.
And last but not least, there are new additions to the MOUSE team…
Juan Garzon has joined the MOUSE staff as a Field Support Representative and is the first MOUSE Squad alum to join the organization as a staff member. Prior to joining the staff, he was working on a part-time basis with MOUSE as a Certified Trainer and has spoken on MOUSE's behalf at the Queens Delegation and other events. Since graduating with a Bachelor of Science from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2006, he has taken an active role at his former High School, Robert F Wagner Jr. SSAT, where he volunteers his time and continues his devotion to MOUSE and community.
Lynn Schnarr, Director of Development, comes to MOUSE from the Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education where she was Director of Organizational Development. Lynn has extensive nonprofit, development and education experience.
Congratulations to Juan and Lynn on their new positions!
As you might have heard, our friend Dr. Helen Soulé, Executive Director at Cable in the Classroom is leaving the organization at the end of the year to explore other opportunities that have come her way (more about that later!). She shared that leading Cable in the Classroom has been a wonderful experience and that she worked with a fabulous staff and met many terrific people both in education and the cable industry, adding that, as always, she learned so much! Helen brings so much to our industry, and I know the Cable in the Classroom team will miss her leadership.
Many of you sent funny and warm notes in response to the baking frenzy I reported happening at our house. I am glad to report all baking is almost done, and tomorrow I will begin putting goodies into over 40 baskets and tins for distribution - such fun. But the best note that came in was from Robin Christensen, Director of Marketing at LearningStation. She sent me a fabulous new cookie recipe for Rugelach Pinwheels, which I will be trying. They sound fabulous, and Robin said it if her favorite new recipe from this holiday baking season. She made these for her girlfriends' annual get-together and sent some along to her brother as well. Thanks, Robin! She is so, so crafty - she also sent along the most adorable picture of herself and the two men in her life, husband Gary and son Soren, in the Christmas pajamas she made for all of them. Picture red and white snowflakes, and Robin reported they had a blast with the resulting photo shoot!
I checked in with Perry Reeves late last week, expecting to just leave a message on his cell phone, but he was up and walking and sounding fabulous. He was planning to be released from the hospital the next day to recuperate, but I predict it will be hard to keep him down. Big surprise to all of you I know. But he is doing great, and as I reported last week, we should all see him out on the road by the beginning of February.
Continuing to share the news of Dr. Nelson Heller, President, The Heller Reports, a QED company, and his wife Pam….the last leg of their two-week cruise took them first from Montevideo, Uruguay to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, their final port of call. Along the way, he wrote of Buenos Aires, sometimes called the Paris of South America, and described its predominantly European population, graceful wide boulevards, narrow side streets and ornate balconied apartment and office buildings; provided a very moving account of a Jewish Heritage tour of the city they took; and wrote of the tango show they attended that left me feeling I had been there. Following three days in Rio de Janeiro, they will head to Sao Paulo for a few more days before flying home on the 24th. They have had quite a set of adventures and experiences on this fascinating trip.
I have so enjoyed the holiday cards and letters and pictures from many of you (I may still manage to get my own out!). Please accept my personal thanks to each of you for sharing of your professional and personal stories with me and with all of our friends and colleagues. I am so very grateful for my many dear friends in this industry, and I appreciate all your messages and remarks to me about this column. It is a way to keep us all connected! I am wishing each one of you and your loved ones a most blessed holiday season, and I will be listening for your news and scoops in the coming year…My best always - Vicki, the Snoop
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
