Ten LVA affiliates were selected to received grants through the LVA/Verizon Family Literacy and Technology Initiative in 1999. Two received expansion grants in 2000. The sites will either expand an existing Verizon Family Learning Center or develop a new Center.

LVA Pomona, CA
A library-based Family Learning Center, collaborators include the school district and the Head Start program. Parents will receive eight two-hour sessions focusing on basic computer operations, Internet introductory activities, and educational/literacy software instruction, children will receive two two-hour sessions to familiarize them with age-appropriate software, and then parent/child sessions will follow for six weeks and cover educational activities using WWW sites and educational software.

San Bernardino County Library, CA
The San Bernardino GTE Family Learning Center is receiving funds to purchase additional software to expand its instructional options by adding software focusing on the parents� needs to increase their job-readiness skills. Software including additional reading and writing software, math software, and lifeskills software will be added.

LVA Hillsborough County, Tampa, FL
Collaborating with Head Start, this GTE Family Learning Center will be located one Head Start site but will be open to Head Start families from throughout the city. The Center�s services will be an extension of already well-developed �Reading With Children� programs, with families participating in five-weeks of GTE Family Learning Center instructional programming following five weeks of �Reading With Children� instruction.

Vigo County Public Library, Terre Haute, IN
A GTE Family Learning Center will be developed at the main library of the library, modeled on the GTE Family Learning Center/Homework Center established in 1998 at the Plaza North Branch Library. Collaboration with the Wabash Valley Literacy Coalition will increase awareness of the available services. Americorps/WINCorps volunteers will help to staff the Center. The Center is targeting children/families of adult literacy students enrolled in any adult literacy/education programs, families who do not have computer access at home, and children who do not have access to homework assistance at home.

Operation Read, Lexington, KY
Family literacy services at this GTE Family Learning Center will include computer-assisted learning activities, take-home family literacy activities, and monthly Family Literacy Technology Nights. The Center is a part of a larger technology lab; specific times and activities for families will be structured into the overall technology plan for Operation Read. Both basic literacy and ESOL families are being targeted for services through the GTE Family Learning Center.

LVA Albany, NY
The GTE F.I.T. (Families Involved in Technology) Center is a collaboration of the LVA affiliate, the public library in Albany, and Head Start. The library�s existing computer lab will be augmented with equipment, software and Internet access designed for use by literacy students and their children. technical assistance. Components of the Center include group workshops, tutor/family matches, and family literacy activities for parents and children. Eight week cycles of intensive training and activities will be scheduled throughout the year, with additional drop-in time also available.

LVA ABLE Columbus, OH
Located in the North Education Center in Columbus which houses extensive family literacy and other educational and support services, the GTE Family Learning Center will target undereducated parents and their at-risk children. The instructional offerings at the Center will be integrated into existing family literacy programming and will be the core of newly developed reading and writing educational activities. Both weekly group/class time and open access time will be available, in addition to monthly seminars for families on technology. AlphaSmarts will be utilized by parents to create reading materials for their children and to complete writing assignments.

LVA Brazos Valley, Bryan, TX
A collaboration with the Family Empowerment Program in College Station, TX, the GTE Family Learning Center will be upgrading old equipment, purchasing new equipment, and greatly expanding software both for parents and children. Computer-assisted instruction will be integrated into the educational plans for both parents and children, including time to work together on computers. Parents will also be involved in using the computers to publish the affiliate newsletter.

Irving Public Library, Irving, TX
Located in a branch library, this GTE Family Learning Center is targeting families with either pre-school age or school-age children where the parents are in need of ESOL and/or citizenship educational services. Both scheduled class times and drop-times are available. Instructional services include ESOL, citizenship instruction, storytime, computer-assisted instruction for parents, children and parents/children, and take-home family literacy activities.

LVA Marquette County, Montello, WI
Collaborating with Head Start, the GTE Family Learning Center will be expanding the reach of its services through the use of mobile technology, both laptops and AlphaSmarts. Classes in basic computer operations and one-on-one computer training will continue; services will be expanded to bring technology instruction into the homes of families living in secluded rural areas with no transportation. GED and job-readiness software will also be added to the Center�s existing collection.

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