02.07.2011

Williamson County Computer Lab

Every parent dreads the day when their child quits communicating with them. You begin to realize it when you ask how was your day, and the answer is “okay”. Or, you ask what happened in school today, and they say “not much”.

For Spanish speaking parents, it’s even more difficult when their child goes to an English speaking school, learns a new language and starts communicating in that language. The parent becomes further and further removed from the child. The child becomes frustrated. And, they no longer connect.

But Spanish-speaking women attending classes at CWJC of Williamson County this past fall had a new tool to help them connect—- a brand new computer lab with internet connections opening up a whole new world to them.

Because of the new lab, which was funded with a grant from The HCA Foundation and Microsoft, about 11 women were able to access their child’s teachers. These moms were able to – for the first time ever – go online and check grades, homework, test scores and much more and see what was going on with their child in class.

And this isn’t the only benefit the lab has had in its first four months. Hispanic students are learning the alphabet faster because of the typing they’re doing. As one excited student said, “Wow! I’ve been wanting to read and write in English for a while, and this is helping me more than anything you’ve given me before!”