FOR RELEASE June 19, 2004
Contact: Sylvia Martinez, Generation YES
NECC Booth #2063/65
(310) 944-3655
(888) 941-4369 x107
[email protected]

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New Product Announcement � TechYES
Student Technology Literacy Certification Program
For Schools, After-School Programs and Community Organizations

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, NECC 2004, June 19, 2004 � At the National Educational Computer Conference (NECC) today, Generation YES, Inc. a leading publisher of student-centered technology programs announces a new technology training and certification program for students in grades 6-9. TechYES provides schools, after-school programs, and community organizations with everything needed to run a technology program that provides students with national technology literacy certifications. TechYES will assist schools as they strive to meet the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) technology literacy requirement for all eighth graders and ISTE NETS technology standards for students. As with all Generation YES education programs, students are at the center of the solution - backed up by solid research and extensive resources.

In TechYES, students assume the major responsibility of becoming technologically proficient by creating projects that meet federal, state and local technology requirements. As part of TechYES, a structured peer-mentoring program assists the teacher or advisor, and provides student leadership opportunities that serve to further strengthen the program and enrich the learning community. The materials were designed specifically for middle school students, not adapted from adult vocational technology certifications.

Dr. Dennis Harper, Founder and CEO of Generation YES says, �TechYES encourages students to create projects of their own choosing, be responsible for their own learning and help their peers develop technology skills.� This student involvement, combined with a research-based, 3-stage certification process, moves all students towards technology competency even if a school cannot schedule a required technology class. Harper continues, �TechYES continues the Generation YES commitment to students playing a central role in the learning process by allowing them to express their talents, knowledge and experience in a personally-meaningful, yet rigorous fashion.�

TechYES Starter Kit
The TechYES Starter Kit provides middle school and after-school educators everything needed to run a program offering 30 students a path to technology literacy certification. The TechYES Starter Kit contains:

* Full color Student Guides � leads every student through the certification process.

* Comprehensive Implementation Guide � includes research-based strategies and best practices. Customized for schools, after-school programs, clubs, community organizations and more.

* TechYES Certificates � Certificate of Technology Literacy for each successful student.

* TechYES web portal account

* Classroom posters

* TechYES Resource CD � reproducibles, guides, videos and more.

The TechYES Web portal (https://www.techyes.net) includes resources to support student technology projects, including tutorials, project ideas, and more. Students can submit their own projects, and TechYES advisors can manage the certification process with their TechYES account.

Pilot Sites
TechYES was piloted in middle school, community after-school and homeschool programs across the country in: Seattle and Olympia, WA; Madison, WI; Priddy and Plano, Texas and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Program advisors and teachers found it easy to administer and reported that many student projects went far above and beyond their expectations.

Marilyn Piper, who piloted the TechYES materials at Washington Middle School in Olympia, WA, says, �TechYES is very flexible--it fit right into our school�s culture of high tech, high standards, and performance-based assessment. I was able to have 120 students, half of our 6th grade, complete their TechYES Certifications in about 12 weeks.�

Advisory Board
The TechYES design was led by the vision of an Advisory Board formed of students and leading educators who applied research on project-based learning, authentic assessment, peer mentoring, and student empowerment to produce a comprehensive, yet flexible program. The TechYES Advisory Board members are:

Pricing
The TechYES Starter Kit is $495 and includes: 30 student guides and certifications, an implementation guide (for teachers or program advisors), 2 full-color classroom posters, a CD-ROM of electronic resources and videos, and a site license to run the TechYES program. To certify additional students, student guides and certifications are available for $14.95 in quantities of 1-9, $12.45 in quantities of 10-99, and $9.95 in quantities greater than 100.

Generation YES
Generation YES works with schools all around the world to plan, implement and enhance student technology programs through consulting, innovative curriculum and research-based support services. Generation YES programs focus on student-centered, project-based experiences that impact student�s lives and increase student involvement in school and community through technology projects. These include: Generation Y (student support for technology staff development), Generation TECH (student tech support curriculum), Generation GIT (Girls� Issues & Technology), and student leadership through technology guides. (https://www.genyes.org)

Generation YES is a registered trademark and TechYES, Generation Y and Generation TECH are trademarks of Generation YES Corporation.

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For more information:
Sylvia Martinez, Generation YES
(310) 944-3655
[email protected]

TechYES press release https://www.genyes.org/news/0604
Generation YES home page https://www.genyes.org
TechYES program description https://www.genyes.org/products/techyes
TechYES web portal https://www.techyes.net