Hi All

Hi All,

Yesterday's event at Alpha Chimp Studios had 20 splendid visitors. Our

planning meeting concerned the vision of the Regional YOUTH Technology

Summit, and WE made today's news:

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette coverage and photo, May 1, 2003

    New Pittsburgh: High-tech growth starts at home, group says

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/03121/180995.stm

        (repost #1 below)

News release about YOUTH Technology Summit:

http://Summit.CLOH.Org/news

        (repost #2 below)

Please consider attending one of the future idea / planning sessons, 

with

RSVP to

TechLunch@CLOH.Org

* Group 03: May 10, 2003 - Breakfast from 10 am - noon, bring your 

kids!

* Group 04: May 21, 2003 - Lunch from 11:30 - 1:30

* Group 05: June 7, 2003 - Breakfast from 10 am - noon

* Group 06: June 11, 2003 - Lunch from 11:30 - 1:30

* Group 07: June 25, 2003 - Lunch from 11:30 - 1:30

    * Dates in July and August are yet to be announced.

Ta.

Mark Rauterkus

mark@Rauterkus.com  
http://Rauterkus.com

http://CLOH.Org  
http://Sunnyhill.org   
http://www.Deliberate.com

#1)

Business New Pittsburgh: High-tech growth starts at home, group says

Thursday, May 01, 2003

By Donald I. Hammonds, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Pittsburgh's efforts to attract more young high technology 

professionals are

well known and documented.

But some local high tech enthusiasts believe that if the region really 

wants

to build its reservoir of high tech talent, the best place to start is 

with

children who already live here.

That's the thinking of stay-at-home father and community volunteer Mark

Rauterkus and his ongoing Youth Tech Summit Idea Session, which had its

second brainstorming session yesterday at Oakland's Alphachimp Studios,

which provides meeting space for groups.

His plan calls for bringing together city officials, local businesses,

school officials and parents to help develop programs and projects that 

will

get young people more interested in technology, more proficient in 

using it

and perhaps go on to pursue careers in the field. If successful, these 

young

people could remain here and pursue their careers in their home town.

"We spend an awful lot of money through recruiting firms to bring 

people

here, and we have things like the Digital Greenhouse, too. I just 

thought,

we try so hard to recruit high technology people to come here and 

settle

down, why not just grow our own instead and they'll already be right 

here,"

Rauterkus said. "The problem has been that there aren't any low rungs 

on the

ladder for people to make an investment in the community and get 

involved to

make all that happen."

Yesterday's participants wrote their views on a bulletin board about

Pittsburgh's current high-tech environment and challenges, the elements 

that

are needed to involve children and youth in high-tech pursuits, and

organizations and individuals that could help carry their project out.

Additional meetings are planned to generate ideas, develop strategies 

and

implement the plan.

#2) Press Release. Okay for publishing.

YOUTH Technology Summit planning begins in earnest

Community Process has Open-Source Style

Contact:

    Mark Rauterkus,

    108 South 12th Street

    Pittsburgh, PA 15203-1226 USA

    voice: 412-298-3432

    web: 
http://Summit.CLOH.Org

    email:

Mark@Rauterkus.com

New efforts put forth by Alpha Chimp Studios and instigated by Mark

Rauterkus hope to engage thousands from all sectors.

Technology and local YOUTH can energize our shared civic landscapes and

economy.

Mark Rauterkus, an activist and former candidate for Mayor, City of

Pittsburgh, 2001, is launching a far-reaching community endeavor that 

needs

volunteer participation -- a YOUTH Technology Summit.

Pittsburgh needs a YOUTH Technology Summit so various people can come

together under one room. The academics, business leaders, technology 

firms,

teachers, parents and neighborhood players need to celebrate, stimulate 

and

challenge our youth.

Pittsburgh spends too much time, effort and money on trying to recruit 

high

tech workers and firms from other parts of the country. Rather, let's

investing in our own. We can grow a brilliant work force that embraces

technology here at home. A new priority can be ourselves. As our 

marketplace

becomes vibrant, others will choose to come live over here to mingle 

with

our talented, grounded and healthy neighbors.

Pledge from facilitators, Alpha Chimp Studios

    Alpha Chimp Studios is run by a husband and wife team, 
Managing

Director, Diane Durand, and Creative Director, Peter Durand. The 

principals

made a pledge to volunteer their collaborative space, talents and host

energies for 10 to 20 first round planning sessions, 5 to 15 second 

round

meetings for strategies and 3 to 10 third round implementation 

meetings.

    The work of each session is transformed into art as ideas are

discussed.

A transcript is typed and posted on the internet. Final documents and a

handbook is being prepared for future rounds.

Simple RSVP

    Each brown-bag lunch or breakfast session lasts two hours. 
Email

TechLunch@CLOH.Org to reserve your spot. Up to 15 participants with 

diverse

backgrounds are to attend each session.

    Efforts are low cost, easy access and open to anyone. To 
witness 

the

creative artwork in the collaboration space is worth the investment of 

time.

* Saturday, May 10, from 10 am - noon. Bring your kids.

* Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - Lunch from 11:30 - 1:30.

* Saturday, June 7, 2003 - Breakfast from 10 am - noon

* Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - Lunch from 11:30 - 1:30

* Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - Lunch from 11:30 - 1:30

July and August dates are yet to be announced.

Public Domain

Mark Rauterkus, a retired publisher, has worked in the open-source 

movement.

The content and approach put forth is in harmony with Open Source 

Software

-- not propriety. Commercial applications and businesses are going to 

be

involved, but the grand scope is fully open and to be run with 

democratic

votes among any with interest. Technology tools beyond email and web

pages,such as eVote, are to be deployed.

Sponsorships Welcomed

    Sponsorships for the lunch meetings, postcards, posters and

materials

are available at modest costs.

Early Adopters

    The list of those already expressing an interest stretches 
from

Harrisburg to local school teachers and high tech firms in other parts 

of

the country.

    SchoolForge, an international open-source software advocacy 
group 

hopes

that the Pittsburgh event can evolve into a model that can be 

replicated

elsewhere.

    Doctors, coaches, fatherhood advocates, and those who operate 
the 

state

site, InventPA.Com, are set to attend meetings and offer input. 

Bankers,

journalists, home-schooled kids and neighbors are interested and 

helping to

create a buzz.

Who

    Mark Rauterkus is a stay-at-home dad who resides with his 
family on

Pittsburgh's South Side. Rauterkus is on the GOP City Committee, the 

council

at the South Side Market House Childrens' Athletic Association, the

Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network's Youth and Recreation Task Force.

    A prime instigator for planning a Regional YOUTH Technology 
Summit,

http://Summit.CLOH.Org. 
Rauterkus host other sites including eVote at

Deliberate.Com, a UU Church site, Sunnyhill.Org and the Community 

Learning

Outreach Hub, CLOH.Org.

    The home office for Rauterkus.com is at 108 South 12th 
Street. 

Cell:

412-298-3432.

- - -

Your feedback matters and is desired. Please stay in touch, attend a

meeting. Send an email.

    Want more, subscribe yourself to:

http://Rauterkus.Com/mailman/listinfo/summit-cloh-noise