NVTCF > In the News

Bailey's Crossroads, VA, August 22, 2001 - The Northern Virginia Technology Council Foundation and the Fairfax County Department of Community and Recreation Services are proud to announce the grand opening of the Bailey's Community Center Computer Clubhouse in Falls Church on August 25 at 2 p.m. The clubhouse will help bridge the "digital divide" that currently exists between children who have access to computers at home and those who do not.

The clubhouse enables children, from elementary school to high school, to complete their homework utilizing computer resources, engage in academic research and explore the Internet under adult supervision. Students will have access to numerous software packages, including those that allow them to learn and experience animation, publishing, computer game design and building Web sites. They also will have the chance to experience what it is like to be an architect, engineer, composer, artist, journalist, computer programmer, publisher and a wide variety of other professions.

"This Clubhouse will be a positive influence in the lives of many children and adults in the area," said Dan Bannister, chairman of the Northern Virginia Technology Council Foundation and chairman of DynCorp, one of the nation's leading employee-owned technology and services companies and headquartered in Reston. "We hope this center will foster a genuine interest in technology and also increase computer literacy and job readiness. Kudos to Fairfax County and all of the members of the technology community who made this extraordinary center possible."

The Bailey's Community Center Computer Clubhouse was created through a partnership that includes the Northern Virginia Technology Council Foundation, the region's technology industry, local government, and community organizations. It will be operated by the Fairfax County Department of Community and Recreation Services and is located in the Bailey's Community Center at 5920 Summers Lane, Falls Church.

The ribbon cutting marking the clubhouse's official opening will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 25, during the 31st Annual Springdale Civic Association Community Day Picnic. Fairfax County Board Chairman Katherine Hanley, Fairfax County Supervisor Penny Gross, NVTC Foundation Chairman Dan Bannister and NVTC President Bobbie Kilberg will take part in the ceremony.

"The Bailey's Computer Clubhouse will enable underprivileged kids to become comfortable with the latest technology," said Fairfax County Board Chairman Katherine Hanley. "We are thrilled that three AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteers, in addition to the clubhouse manager, will be on site to work one-on-one with the kids. As we have witnessed in the first computer clubhouse, mentors play a crucial role by encouraging these children to enhance their computer skills and develop confidence in themselves."

The new clubhouse will serve about 600 students, the same as the one that opened two years ago at Gum Springs, in south Fairfax County. Since more than half of the residents in the Bailey's Crossroads area speak a language other than English at home, the center has programs that will maximize bilingual talents and provide resources to overcome language barriers.

The state-of-the art center is equipped with 20 new Dell Pentium III Computers and programmed with $65,000 worth of software donated by Microsoft Mid-Atlantic. The NVTC Foundation would like to thank the companies that have made the computer clubhouse partnership possible, including: The Staubach Company, the Northern Virginia Regional Partnership, Microsoft Mid-Atlantic, Cisco Systems, The Intel Computer Clubhouse Network, Haworth Office Furniture, Price Modern of Washington, Spector Knapp & Baughman Architects, Allied Office Products, Global Network Services, iXL, Brodeur Worldwide, Intech, Net2000 Communications, The Segal Company, WNVT/WNVC-TV, Global TechPro, Verizon, and the Haven Project of Keyva Technologies.

Kids will be directly involved with the operation of the Bailey's Clubhouse and help design and advertise activities, lead planning meetings and implement service projects. Regular activities will include field trips to universities to encourage post high school learning, job shadowing at local companies to experience specific work environments, and "Visiting Technologists" and "Community Day" programs where professionals answer questions about careers and businesses.

There are also plans for professional internships, job opportunities, and workshops in résumé writing, interviewing, goal-setting and educational planning.

The Bailey's Computer Clubhouse will be open weekdays 12:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Saturdays 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. It is staffed by a Clubhouse Manager, Margaret Plenty, and three additional AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteers from the Corporation for National Service.

Directions to Bailey's Community Center: Take I-395 South to King Street exit. Go west on King Street to exit for Columbia Pike going west towards Annandale. From Columbia Pike turn left on Lacy Boulevard. From Lacy Boulevard turn right on Lewis Lane. Turn left on Munson Road and turn right on Summers Lane. The Bailey's Community Center is located at 5920 Summers Lane, Falls Church, VA.

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About the NVTC Foundation
The NVTC Foundation was founded to encourage and facilitate corporate efforts to give something back to the community and specifically looks for community initiatives based in Northern Virginia that include technology as an important component in their mission. It is a charitable 501(c)(3) organization and contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. The NVTC Foundation is affiliated with the Northern Virginia Technology Council, a membership organization of more than 1,300 companies representing nearly 170,000 people involved in the technology industry in the Northern Virginia region. More information about the programs that it supports can be found on its Web site at www.nvtc.org/foundation.