INTRODUCTION
My name is James Robert Norman “Jim Bob” and I graduated from Blowing Rock Elementary ’99, Watauga High ’03, and ASU ’07. At Blowing Rock, I remember my love for sports and computers beginning at a very young age. By middle school, you could find me in two places: the computer lab, or the gymnasium. I remember learning about typing, digital photography, and the internet with Mrs. Oswalt. While at Watauga I played football and basketball, and recorded high grades in nearly all my classes. I maintained many of the schools websites and enjoyed taking many computer classes with Mrs. Sheets and Mr.Shook. I continued my education and football career at Appalachian State University. I graduated in December 2007, with a degree in Industrial Electronic Computer Technologies and a minor in Computer Information Systems.
Upon graduation, I visited a rural village in Nicaragua for a week in January 2010. I fell in love with this place and moved back February 2010 to live full time. I have been here 25 months, and my love for sports and computers is as great as it has ever been. I am working with children, youth, and adults to see their lives improved in these areas and many others. I remember the excitement of having time in the library or computer labs, and learning more about the inventions that have grown and run life as we know it today: computers & internet. I now understand what an advantage it was to have that technology available for educational and relational purposes alike. The schools here do not have textbooks, much less computers and internet access. I am currently doing my best to raise awareness of the needs here, and build a computer lab for the students of our community. I want them to research their homework assignments and improve the very little knowledge and curiosity they have for computers and the internet.
THE CURRENT SETUP
I currently have 1 MB of high speed internet hooked into a wireless router that networks my personal computer with two desktop machines and two laptops. This is a great start, as it took me one year to get internet access, and another year to get more than my personal computer down here. It has been very exciting for a few of our students to be able and do their homework on the laptops throughout February and March of this year. Our community has about 200 students between ages 5-15, and another 50 students between ages 16-25. Of the 50 older students 20 are studying in colleges and trade schools. The four computers we have are not nearly enough to meet the demands of these 250 children and young adults.
I have wanted to do this project since February 1, but we lost power in our community in mid January, and have been without steady power for over ten weeks! We, as of yesterday, have a sufficient power supply running into our community after months of using a gas generator. My dream for a computer lab is beginning! I’m ready to start the project.
THE PROJECT AND DREAM
So what’s the project you ask? I want a real computer lab, not 2-3 computers that must be shared among 250 people. No money is being asked for this project! For those of you, who have replaced your desktops, laptops, monitors, and networking devices, or plan to replace them soon, please do not get rid of your old machines. Any computer from year 2000 and newer would be a blessing to this project. These cannot be shipped to me in Nicaragua, but groups and I will be in and out of North Carolina in the next 6 months to bring these down in hand.
For those of you who have asked me multiple times how you can help from your end, but have not been able to give financially, here is my request from you. Ask people in your family, where you work, at your church or school who have replaced or no longer use their computers and computer electronics including monitors, keyboards, and mice to donate them towards the Make ‘em Smile Computer Lab.
Please start spreading the word among your: family and friends, workplace, church, and school who have replaced or no longer use their computers and electronics to donate to our mission and not just throw them away. I see this lab, one day, running in its own building, serving as a library with a classroom for computer technologies and greater education possibilities than the local schools provide.
WHERE AM I SEEKING HELP?
It is my understanding that Watauga County is changing out some computers as the high school is getting ready to move to their new building. I assume these machines will be used until the end of this school year, but I do not have many details. Anything you all can share with me, or anyone that you can put me in touch with would be greatly appreciated.
I am headed to North Carolina Friday, April 2 and will be in and out of Boone up until April 27. I would love to have some time to talk with someone via telephone, or even better in person. I would love to be in touch with people at Blowing Rock School, and Watauga High School, as they are my alma maters, but any of the 9 county schools that can help would be a blessing.
I want to touch base with Appalachian State University, especially in the techonology department that I graduated from. The applied technology students make trips ever year or so to Nicaragua, and I feel this is a great common interest for us.
I am hoping to make this public to businesses and individuals around the high country as well. I am not limited to solely computer towers or laptops: monitors, mice, keyboards, printers, network and power cables can all be a great help, and I know businesses and individuals have equipment stored in a closet or taking up space on a desk, after purchasing newer machines.
Anyone can help, that’s the beautiful thing about this project, anyone can raise awareness to others, and put them in touch with us. I want to collect things at Martin Real Estate in Boone, NC. I will be in and out of North Carolina in April and May, and some other people are making trips down to Nicaragua in June and July, so please help us get things collected soon!
Jim Bob Norman
jimbobnorman@gmail.com
Make ‘em Smile
New Song Mission Nicaragua
Dan & Teresa Norman Home Phone: 828-264-2535
Dan Norman at Martin Real Estate 828-264-3444
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