by Cindy A. Abole, Public Relations

For Toole Middle School students Elliott Chan- dler and Victor McKelvey, identifying a URL behind an image map from the WWW are terms that are easily understood. But the pair is not learning a foreign language. They are recognizing and using technical terms learned through an information technology program sponsored by MUSC and various community organizations serving economically challenged neighborhoods around peninsular Charleston.

Recently, the MUSC Library launched the Health Information Technology Enterprise Community Students (HITECS) program which combines the efforts of the Charleston County School District, MUSC Environmental Hazards Assessment Program, Enterprise/MUSC Neighborhood Health Program, the Four Mile-Hibernian Community Association, City of Charleston Enterprise Community Project and participating branches of the Charleston County Library to create a community-based education program designed to teach youth about the Internet and health information resources.

“Technology is a tremendous hook for students and the public in general to generate interest in health and wellness,” said Barbara Carlson, HITECS program director and MUSC Library coordinator of consumer health information and education. “Even with the Internet being an exciting tool, people are afraid to use technology and don’t understand the tremendous resources the Internet can bring to our lives.”

Carlson has begun turning these fears around with help from a team of concerned citizens from the Enterprise Community Citizen Advisory Council and the MUSC library staff to coordinate the program within the Enterprise Community, an urban, low-income residential area of the Charleston peninsula. The area is more commonly referred to as the Charleston “Neck.”

The program’s focus is to help build information-seeking skills in young people by using today’s information technology. It will also raise the awareness of community health-related issues, develop potential health careers goals for inner-city youth and demonstrate learning by sharing new skills as a community service.

Support for the program began as a response to a survey conducted through the Enterprise Community. The results unveiled a genuine interest for more environmental health information and computer training. Taught in four educational modules, the HITECS program does the following: students receive Internet instruction, students introduce the Internet to other citizens within their community; students explore community health topics and careers; and students celebrate their success and accomplishments with their peers at an awards ceremony.

In February, members of the MUSC library staff trained HITECS students at each of the four Neck area schools: Burke High School, Courtenay Middle, Rivers Middle and Toole Military Magnet School. Representatives were selected by neighborhood advisory councils which could nominate up to five HITECS students. The remaining students were selected by participating school administrators. An average of 20 students participated at each school site. Prior to the training, a survey was conducted to assess students’ experience and exposure to computers and the Internet. Of the 84 students surveyed, 56 participants reported their ability to access a computer. Another 57 students acknowledged their use of a library computer for research. Less than one half of the group used a computer for Internet support. And 67 students admitted their use of computers to play games.

“The HITECS program has been a great and rewarding experience for the students and Courtenay Middle, Rivers Middle, Toole Military Magnet School and Burke High School,” said Barbara Dilligard, Ed.D., deputy superintendent, Charleston County School District. “Learning how to use the Internet is a direct instruction skill that will serve the students for a lifetime. The Charleston County School District is proud to have collaborated with MUSC and the City of Charleston’s Enterprise Community Programs to promote technology in our community.”

Toole Military Magnet School assistant principal Andrea Heyer is grateful for teaming with MUSC and the HITECS program. Their participation affirms Toole's goals to provide and establish more computers and teacher training. Heyer was attracted by the aspect of seeing students learn through a “train-the-trainers” program. She supports the use of technology featured through an educational perspective.

“It’s helped to boost their confidence and leadership abilities as they learn to teach younger students,” Heyer said.

Cooper River Library head librarian Linda Marchant was delighted to see more Internet and computer use at her branch which supports Toole students. “The program has improved and increased research skills and helped students to work cooperatively within a manageable amount of time,” Marchant said. “It’s taught them how to stick to one project from beginning to end.”

Although their HITECS topics are health-related in nature, students have looked at combining their new skills with other practical applications. Toole seventh grader Elliott Chandler gathered information comparing the nutritional value of hamburgers and other “junk food” for his project. Other students ventured to select topics based upon experiences which hit closer to home. Another Toole student was inspired to write her report on lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease, because of an ailing family member.

“Students were just ‘blown away’ and amazed at what they could do with a computer and digital camera,” said Delbert DuBois, Four Mile-Hibernian Community Association founding president and CEO. “It’s the technology that’s out there that sparks their interest and makes them eager to learn more.”

DuBois, who also works as a community liaison with MUSC’s College of Nursing, can’t help but reaffirm the positive role modeling of HITECS within his community. “It’s a wonderful concept to get kids to teach their peers and family members. It provides better social interaction and has increased the quality of life in our community,” DuBois is also involved in the federally designated Enterprise/MUSC Neighborhood Health Program, a community-based program tasked to find solutions to complex urban problems—environmental problems, infant mortality, malnutrition, diabetes and other chronic diseases.

And what’s the next step for the HITEC students? Participants have completed and submitted their final HITECS assignments. Students completing the program will receive a certificate of recognition and $100 stipend which is funded by a grant awarded to the MUSC Library by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine Southeastern/Atlantic Region. The awards ceremony will be a celebration to students’ successes and achievements on April 21 at the Burke High School Fine Arts Building.