Acorn Technology Program

Access to computer and telecommunications technology is a central goal for Acorn and our community. From our inception, Acorn has understood the connection between technology and community development, with residents needing access for education, job training, and general communication. Roughly a quarter of the area's residents live "off the grid," with many of these having no electricity, and others rely on generators or alternative energy sources. There are no phone lines to an even greater number of residents, and while one cellular service provider has placed a tower that offers reliable service for some area residents (our mountainous terrain makes reception a nightmare for most), many residents cannot afford the service. For those residents who can afford technology, most complain about how difficult it is to get customer service, and information about "new" technology that might someday become available in rural areas, e.g. satellite service. We are on no one's priority list; almost no one markets to us, and Shasta County isn't such a major technology center that the hills are full of high-tech telecommuters who are making a fuss.
In 1999 we were fortunate to receive a grant from the Community Technology Foundation that allowed us to set up a "cyber café" in the Acorn Café. We also received computers through the Shasta Private Industry Council and the SMART Partnership. Use of the Acorn's three computers has been steady from the beginning, by a wide range of community members. There are no other computers available for public use in our area. Until a few months ago, (March 2002) students and teachers did not have Internet access at the area's main K-8 school district, and there is no teacher qualified to act as a technology specialist. Almost one quarter of students who could be enrolled in the district are instead home-schooled, and many of these depend on Acorn for computer access, coming not only during the afterschool program, but throughout the day.

The Acorn computers are in constant use during the afterschool program, which serves an average of 30 children per day, with an attendee pool of about 80. We estimate that maybe 1/5th of these children may have computer access at home. Recently we have implemented a computer learning curriculum suggested by Modoc Charter School, and also require each child to spend 5 minutes using computer keyboarding software during their log-on time. In addition to the afterschool program, we offer drop-in classes for adults two days per week (1.5 hours each), which are well-attended, primarily by people over 55. Otherwise the computers are available for free use during the Café's regular hours. While most of the use is by residents, we also get tourists who are delighted to find Internet access "in the middle of nowhere."

Our goals for the next year or so include continuing our "cyber café" services, while adding more computers in a quiet office area, for use by those who need to take classes over the Internet or spend extended time for other reasons. The hustle and bustle of the Café can make concentration difficult. We also hope to provide some community forums to discuss issues affecting rural telecommunications access, and to coordinate technology-related training and technical assistance for a collaboration of small non-profits in our region. We welcome donations of high-quality, fairly new computers, software, and related equipment and supplies.