PROJECT NARRATIVE

TITLE: The Social Action Office of De La Salle Santiago Zobel School
PROJECT URL: http://www.sirpats.com/sao
CATEGORY: Community Groups and Special Populations

38 Freshmen high school students, aged 14 to 15 worked together to complete this Cyberfair project
on February 28, 2006.  They have never participated in Cyberfair in the past years

Classes and Teacher: Freshmen C and Mr. Dennis Patiño
E-Mail Contact: sirpats@sirpats.com
Our School's Web Site: http://www.zobel.dlsu.edu.ph
Bilbiography and Citations: http://www.sirpats.com/sao/english/bibliography.asp

PROJECT OVERVIEW:

1. Description of "Our Community" Describe what you consider to be your "local community."
   ( NOTE: "community" need not be restricted by geographic location.)
   Limit your comments to 300 words (2000 characters).
   You may use the same description that you submit in your final entry form. 
   
   De La Salle Zobel School is an educational institution for both boys and girls. In our community we don’t only enjoy school and strive to do our best but we also have the passion to serve and help others. The Social Action Office serves as our link to the outside world. We are taught to reach out and extend a helping a hand, to give back what we’ve received, to serve a greater cause. They help us take what we’ve learned beyond the campus grounds and into the hearts of others who are in need. These experiences are very fulfilling and only require some time and a passion to serve the people that have had rockier roads than we have. In our community, you will see children ages 9 all the way to 18 participating in outreaches and other similar projects. But actually it’s not only the students who love to help but also the teachers. Our teachers have involved themselves in activities like house building, tutoring, and even clearing out wrecked areas. Basically our community works as one to promote projects that everyone will benefit from and to assist those who are in need.
    
2. Summary of Our Project Write a brief overview of what your CyberFair Web Project is all about.
   Limit your comments to 300 words (2000 characters).
   You may use the same description that you submit in your final entry form.

   Our entry is about the Social Action Office of De La Salle Santiago Zobel School, which aims to build a strong collaborative partnership between DLSZ and partner communities. We believe that we have a lot of people who are willing to serve and volunteer but they are lost without a guide on how and where to begin. We also believe that there are good hearted individuals who are unaware of the realities that somewhere out there, kids are suffering and adults are making do with what they have in dire situations and that if they find out about these situations, they would be more than willing to help. The SAO is just what we all seek. They are the guide that will lead us and help us lead in turn. The programs they make don’t only include outreaches for every batch (which is the case in almost all private schools) but also extra curricular activities wherein we can all help in our own little or big way. Our website’s aim is to make this organization known more by summarizing and explaining what it is all about and by giving a brief history and background on its programs and the people behind them.
    

3. CyberFair Theme.  Explain how your project supports this year's CyberFair theme.
   Limit your comments to 300 words (2000 characters).
   
   Our project supports this year’s Cyber Fair theme, inspire and unite, by acting as a link of inspiration to people both aware and unaware of the ways we can spread assistance and hope in areas that need them the most. Our website is a form of connection to an organization that aims to bring people together through serving and helping our people.  The Social Action Office has come up with projects and hooked up with other organizations to teach and to help the youth reach out to rest of the country that needs help. The site we have created clearly shows that we support being one.
    
4. Our Computer and Internet Access

   A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:
   
   approximately, 98% of the student population use the Internet at home
   
   B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:
   
   there are 8 laboratories with an average of 43 computer in each
   
   C. Connection speed used in the classroom:
   
   512 mbps
   
   D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:
   
   6 years
   
   E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):
   Limit your comments to 150 words (1000 characters) or less.
   If you have a compelling story to tell, then create a Web page as part of your project pages and make a link here.
    

5. Problems We Had To Overcome Write a brief description of the barriers, including technical obstacles, that you and your students faced during this project. Tell how you overcame or otherwise dealt with these obstacles.
   Limit your comments to 300 words (2000 characters) or less. If you have a compelling story to tell, then create a Web page as part of your project pages and make a link here.
   
   In anything a person will do, there will always be problems and difficulties. Well with us we had a hard time with collecting information at first because at the time of info gathering we had a lot of requirements to submit and finish, we had deadlines to meet and all sorts of obstacles to go through such as hectic schedules and organizing meetings, our thoughts and ideas but thank God we had no difficulties in terms of technical obstacles were concerned. I believe that we got through all these difficulties mainly because of the endless support our wonderful teachers were giving and the perseverance and dedication each student showed in this making this project.
    
6. Our Project Sound Bite Write ONE (or two) sentences that BEST summarize what your participation in CyberFair has meant to either your students, your school, or your community. Limit your comments to 150 words (1000 characters) or less. If you have a compelling story to tell, then create a Web page as part of your project pages and make a link here.
   
   We all feel a sense of achievement and fulfillment in knowing that we have contributed to the awareness of one of the organizations in the community whose aim is to spread fellowship and service to our less fortunate brothers and sisters.
    
7. How did your activities and research for this International Schools CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards? Questions to Consider
   
   Which content standards did your CyberFair project address?

   Simplicity. We made sure that the site contains useful information in a plain and easy to understand format.
   Further, the content including the images come from within the community.  We can truly say that this project is ours 100 percent.

   How did this project fit into your required school, district, or state curriculum guidelines?

   This is based on our lessons on Website Development Using HTML with Javascript (Computer Science I)

   What new skills did you learn?

   We learned how to manage the class and different techniques in site development.

   What group concepts did you practice?

   We worked on the project collaboratively. Each task was assigned to a specific group of people to work on. The project leaders made sure that all tasks are completed on time.  Further, each member of the group were reminded that the success of this project depends on the cooperation of everybody.

   How do you better understand specific ideas?

   Adults provided us help and guidance needed to grasp all the ideas in this project.  Sir Pat's, our teacher in our computer class, is always there to provide assistance.
   
   How does your project fit into the requirements for your school or class?

   This web project is a requirement for the Computer Science class.

   What discoveries did you make about your educational system? About the role you play in your school community?

   Students have the tools that enable us to help make a change through collaboration and communications using modern tools such as the Internet. We have the ability to influence and attract others to join in our cause.

   Has using the Internet for teaching and learning been more effective than traditional methods? If so, explain?

   Yes. Modern tools such as web sites, interactive animations, forums, chat, instant messaging, online photo publishing, and other similar technologies enable us to learn more efficiently. Teachers and students get to interact more even outside the campus. Lessons and handouts are made available for download without any hassle. Online quizzes and reviewers are readily available for students to be taken anywhere using any personal computer with internet connection. Students and teachers can share and discuss lessons online.