Three IT Clubs have won awards under the Giving Net program. The Giving Net is a concept developed by Digital Innovations and Technology PEI. It puts technology to work in the community to develop web pages for charities and volunteer groups that do charitable work. The process is an enriching one, both for the youth and the groups they get to know.
This is the second year the GivingNet Competition has taken place. The competition is open to all 31 IT Clubs in the province.
First prize ($1,000) is awarded to The Eastern Kings Websurfers Computer Club. Their website, www.edu.pe.ca/easternkings/communityschool/index.htm, highlights the 32nd Anniversary of the Community School classes. Second prize ($800) is awarded to Morell Bits and Bytes club from the Morell Region Community Learning Centre and CAP site, http://morellcap.peicaps.org/CWL/index.htm. Their site gives local exposure to the Catholic Women's League. Third prize ($600) is awarded to the Alberton Youth Group. The Youth club is one of the IT Generation's newly formed IT clubs, formed in December 2002. The group was given their award for their work with the Lions Club.
The purpose of the competition is three fold. IT Generation youth members have the opportunity to delve deeper into their communities by exploring local charities and seeing the good the charities do. Secondly, the charities are provided with well deserved exposure throughout the year on the Internet and are helped in their fund raising activities. Thirdly, the program shows the youth that technology has potential positive benefits that can occur right in their communities.
Mike Laxton, Manager of Digital Innovations and delivery agent for the Giving Net competitions, says the program has proven to be a successful initiative for the IT clubs across the island.
"The youth, through their own efforts, see first hand how technology can be put to practical use to help improve the lives of Islanders. The competitions are a means to help charities gain a web presence while, at the same time, enabling Island youth to explore the good these charities accomplish in their communities."
Under the rules of this competition, participating groups create a web page about a local or Island charity. The web page is judged on content, layout and technical merit. Prizes are used to purchase authorized equipment for the benefit of the winning clubs.
For more information on The Giving Net Competition, please contact Mike Laxton at Digital Innovations at (902) 882-2392 or log on to http://tigcap.peicaps.org/itgeneration/givingnet.htm
Technology PEI is the Government of Prince Edward Island's lead agency in the development, adoption and use of information technologies in business and community in the province.