• Mission of the organization:
  The Virginia Tech outreach program to schools - VTOPS - is a mentoring and outreach partnership between the colleges of the University and K-12 public schools. VTOPS is a menu driven program that relies upon the teachers themselves to select project they feel are suitable for their schools and the children they teach. the VTOPS teams then collaborate with the teachers to design and deliver programs that fit these needs.

• Service project for CS 3604:
  Students are needed to: instruct elementary, middle and high school students in the use of computers. Project include: orienting children to the Internet, developing homepages for schools, introducing students to on-line resources in environmental and other research areas, teaching children to use math and science educational software, or coaching them in the use of interactive software to improve reading, writing, and language skills. Children can then take these skills back to the classroom to teach other students. Service-learning students should indicate a preference for working at the elementary, middle, or high school level.

• Training and other requirements:
  Service-learning students will need to participate in the VTOPS Mentoring Training Sessions, offered Wednesday, Sept. 11 and Thursday, Sept. 12, at 7:00pm. At training, students will receive a handbook about Service-Learning. Students will come to the library when they arrive at the school. Students will receive a tutoring manual containing strategies for working with children.

• Time requirements:
  The school days generally run between 8:00am - 1:30pm and students must arrange their weekly hours during these times. Occasionally, after school programs can be arranged.

• Traveling to this site:
  Schools are located throughout Montgomery Co. within a 30 mile range. In general, schools with greater need for access to educational resources are located farther away from the Virginia Tech campus. Additional directions will be provided once school assignments are made.

• Contact:
  Marcy Schnitzer
  Placement Coordinator
  Service-Learning Center
  202 Major Williams Hall
  Virginia Tech
  Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0168
  231-9186, mhs@vt.edu

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