Destinations: Components of School/High Tech

Destinations

This section takes readers on a tour of High School/High Tech "destinations." It describes the program components that High School/High Tech itineraries typically include. Here you'll find suggestions for school-based and community-based activities, advice for planning and developing destination activities, and examples of exemplary activities developed by High School/High Tech programs nationwide.

With strong partnerships and solid leadership in place, your High School/High Tech journey can take you and your participating students to destinations that are limited only by your creativity and imagination! Whether participants are heading down the hall to a school computer center or science lab, or traveling across town to a university campus or industry worksite, each destination should be carefully chosen to inform, enrich, stimulate, and motivate.

Just as every travel itinerary should be tailored to the traveler's needs, every High School/High Tech program should be tailored to participating students' interests and needs. As part of the planning process, your program staff and local advisory committee should set goals and create a vision that will guide the selection of program components. Most High School/High Tech programs incorporate a mix of school- and community-based components.

Think creatively when planning your program components. Choose activities that make the most of your community's resources and that provide students with the widest possible range of experiences.

When you start developing your High School/High Tech program, you may choose to include only one or a couple of program components. As the program's success becomes evident and your network of partners grows, you likely will want to add new program sites and more varied components. In order to be viewed as a fully developed High School/High Tech Program by the National Program Office, you must serve students in paid summer internships. We encourage you work with the National Program Office and other established sites toward becoming a fully developed High School/High Tech Program. With carefully planned and measured growth, you will be able to meet students' needs in more ways than you might have thought possible.

Be sure to build program evaluation into your plans from the outset. Evaluate the individual program components and the program as a whole, and then refine and expand as appropriate. (For further information, see Section 7, Program, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting.) Let your program leadership and local advisory committee guide the program's evolution—but also encourage flexibility so that you can take advantage of opportunities as they arise for your students.

Program Components

School-Based Activities

School-based activities are fundamental to the High School/High Tech road map. They provide a home base for students and engender involvement from teachers, counselors, and other personnel. In addition to encouraging students to take appropriate coursework and become involved in extracurricular school activities, many High School/High Techs offer a menu of workshops and seminars that help students to better understand high tech career options, learn about higher education, and enhance their job finding skills.

Coursework

High School/High Tech encourages students with disabilities to go on to college or training programs that prepare them for high tech careers. This process must begin early in the student's high school years, if not earlier. Your High School/High Tech program can play a critical role by helping students to choose the right classes and get on the academic track to college and careers.

Communication with school guidance counselors, work-study coordinators, math and science teachers, and other school personnel is essential. Likewise, workshops and seminars can help students and their parents to understand which courses to choose, as well as how to work toward their academic and career goals (see Workshops and Seminars below).

Extracurricular School Activities

Many high schools have extracurricular activities, such as science, math, and computer clubs, or students may participate in math or science "challenge" competitions that provide opportunities to learn about and become involved with high tech subjects. These activities provide natural ingredients for High School/High Tech programs.

You may also work with teachers or guidance counselors to encourage High School/High Tech participants who have not previously been involved in such extracurricular activities. Any reluctance to participate may be quelled with a little creativity. For example, a High School/High Tech student may be paired with an active science club member who could provide information, make introductions, and help the newcomer to feel comfortable.

Workshops and Seminars

Workshops and seminars held after school or on weekends are mainstays of many High School/High Tech programs, offering participants focused information about high tech careers, guidance in college planning, and a chance to develop work skills. Held individually or as part of a year-round series, these programs may focus on specific activities such as resume writing, or they may feature guest speakers representing colleges or employers, discussion groups with guidance counselors, and other activities. Workshops and seminars often are held at the school, but consider the possibility of holding them at worksites, colleges, or other community locations as well. Often, it may be appropriate to invite parents to attend with the High School/High Tech participants.

Before the school year begins, develop a calendar of workshops and seminars with input from your local advisory committee. A well-rounded schedule might include one event per month from September through May. Be sure that the topics, speakers, and formats are diverse enough to pique students' interest and generate attendance. Generally, the topics should include each of three basic content areas: academic enrichment, information about college and careers, and motivation. Your local advisory committee should serve as a great source of ideas for topics and presenters, although it will be your responsibility to take the ideas from concept to reality.

Workshops and seminars require careful planning and coordination. Allow as many as 30 to 40 hours to prepare for each event. This includes time for visiting the event site, conducting an accessibility check, contacting participants, arranging for transportation and other details with the school district, preparing agendas, arranging meals, writing news stories for publicity, and making signs and name tags. The work should be delegated as much as possible to an assigned event team.

Use your imagination when developing workshop and seminar topics! Some "tried-and-true" topics include:

• Introduction to High School/High Tech
• Science, math, technology, and engineering career opportunities
• Study skills
• SAT preparation
• College opportunities
• Finding financial aid Goal setting
• Tips for preparing successful college applications
• Resume writing Introduction to internships and summer employment
• Making the most of your internship or summer employment experience
• Succeeding in internships or employment (working with a supervisor, attendance, appropriate attire, etc.)
• Computer literacy & access

Depending on the event's purpose, possible presenters or program participants include:

• High school counselors
• High school math, science, or other teachers
• University, college, or training institute faculty members
• University or college admissions or student affairs representatives
• Business or industry representatives
• Government representatives
• Representatives of community agencies that are concerned with disability rights and services
• High tech professionals with disabilities
• Recent High School/High Tech graduates
• Student organization representatives

Planning a Workshop or Seminar

Careful planning is the key to success, whether you are embarking on a vacation voyage or preparing for a High School/High Tech workshop or seminar. When planning a High School/High Tech event, think carefully about your goals, expected outcomes, and logistics. Consider forming an event planning committee and solicit advice from your program's local advisory committee, prospective presenters, and High School/High Tech students who will participate in the event. Also take a few minutes to answer the following questions:

Goals and Objectives:

• What is the primary goal of the event?
• What are the learning objectives?
• What is the expected outcome of the event?
• Who is the intended audience?

Program Format and Content:

• What program format is most appropriate to achieve the event goals and objectives? Should the workshop or seminar feature a single speaker? A series of speakers? A panel discussion? A small group discussion?
• Who are the most appropriate speakers/presenters?
• Who will invite the speakers/presenters to participate?
• Who will lead or facilitate the workshop or seminar?
• What items will the agenda include?
• How much time will be needed for the entire event and each portion of the event?
• What is the best sequence for presentation?
• Will the agenda include time for students and other participants to socialize and network?

Logistics:

• What budget is available for the event?
• When will the event be held? What time of day and day of the week is most suitable?
• What type of environment is most appropriate for the event?
• Where will the event be held? Will you need to reserve meeting space?
• Are the building and room accessible and can the temperature be controlled?
• Is accessible parking available?
• Will sign language interpretation be needed?
• Will workshop or seminar participants require transportation assistance?

Materials and Supplies:

• What resources will the speakers or participants need (audiovisual equipment, sound system, flip chart, chalkboard, handouts, photocopying)?
• Will materials in alternate formats, such as Braille or large type, be needed?
• Will name tags, table tents, and signage directing participants to the meeting room be needed?
• Will lunch or refreshments be provided?

Other Issues:

• How will the event be publicized to students and other participants?
• Who will be the contact person for questions and reservations?
• How will the event be evaluated?

Community-Based Activities

The true sign of a High School/High Tech project is the experiential component that takes students out of traditional learning settings and into the community. These community-based destinations may include any combination of business and industry site visits, field trips, mentoring experiences, job shadowing, internships, and summer employment.

Site Visits

Visits to research facilities, manufacturing plants, offices of high tech companies, and other community venues offer students the opportunity to learn about high tech careers and real-life work environments—even if the visit is scheduled only for a few hours or a day. These visits can be especially enriching and motivational for students. For example, talking with a company employee may spark a student's interest in a particular occupation, while seeing a research lab in action may help another student to develop a better overall understanding of science careers and investigation methods. As an added benefit, contact with host organization representatives can be an entre´ to strong, lasting relationships that result in internships or other enrichment opportunities for students.

The itinerary for any site visit depends on students' interests and the host organization's programs or facilities. Possibilities include tours of high tech facilities, career workshops at companies' headquarters, behind-the-scenes visits to museums, and presentations at universities. Work closely with the host organization representative to develop a clear understanding of expectations and intended outcomes. Although the visit may involve only a few hours of time, it is crucial to consider such questions as:

• What are the goals and learning objectives of the visit?
• Will the visit be interesting and enriching for students?
• How is the visit relevant to high tech careers?
• How will the visit mesh with other program components?
• What will the visit itinerary include?
• How much time will be required from departure to return?
• How many students can attend?
• Will students need to bring lunches?
• Will refreshments be provided by the host organization?
• Will overnight accommodations be required?
• Is the facility to be visited physically accessible?
• What type of transportation will be used?
• How many adults should accompany the students?
• How will you evaluate the success of the visit?

The possibilities for High School/High Tech site visits and field trips are endless. Open your eyes to the options in your community or region, and be sure to tap into your local advisory committee for ideas. Examples of venues visited by High School/High Tech programs nationwide have included:

• Medical technology facilities at hospitals
• Science and natural history museums
• Planetariums and observatories
• Aerospace firms
• Medical instrument manufacturing companies
• Electric utility companies Bank data centers
• Chemical manufacturing plants
• Biomedical research firms
• Agricultural research facilities
• Marine research facilities
• Technology training institutes
• Universities NASA space flight facilities
• Large libraries
• Private research and development laboratories
• Government laboratories and research facilities

Job Shadowing

High School/High Tech can play a critical role in career exploration for students with disabilities by providing an array of job shadowing experiences in technology-driven worksites. Job shadowing is a bit more involved than a site visit. It allows the student to spend a concentrated period of time observing (shadowing) a professional, or team of professionals. In some cases the student may even be given an opportunity to try his/her hand at specified tasks, under the close supervision of the assigned host. The intensity and duration of each job shadowing experience will vary tremendously, depending on the student's school schedule, parameters of the host site, and the type and extent of products expected of the student, such as logs, observation notes, reports, projects, and so forth.

When setting up job shadowing experiences, be sure to delineate for all parties involved the expectations of the activity. Remember, job shadowing is a valuable way for a student to gain closer insight into a particular technical job, or aspect of that job.

A Few Words of Student Supervision Whether your program participants asre visiting a high tech lab, taking a behind-the-scenes tour of a museum, or visiting with employees at a coporate workplace, it is recommended that program staff of chaperones accompany students during the enrichment activities. To ensure their safety and to maintain good relations with the host organization, students should be supervised throughout the visit and until they are safely on their way home.

Mentoring

Mentoring is another avenue for enriching students' high school experience. In a mentoring situation, professionals serve as career advisors to students, working with them one-on-one to provide guidance, advice, and often lasting friendships. Mentors can be co-workers or supervisors, former High School/High Tech participants, college professors, former teachers, or work experience supervisors. Mentors need not be people with disabilities, although a mentor with a disability would provide a unique perspective to which the student might relate.

Mentoring relationships provide valuable support to students to build skills, confidence, initiative, and responsibility. Mentors wear many hats including:

Role model	Coach
Guide	Advisor
Constructive Critic	Instructor
Responsive Adult	Advocate

Characteristics of an Effective Mentor
Know what qualities to look for in helping students to choose their mentors. An effective mentor is a person who:

• Conveys and reinforces expectations
• Respects individual preferences, abilities, and choices
• Provides clear and consistent support
• Gives fair, honest feedback
• Listens openly rather than passing judgment
• Provides direction and guidance to the student

Paid Summer Internships

Site visits, job shadowing, and mentoring are all important High School/High Tech destinations, but paid internships have the greatest impact on students. The paid internship component also defines the High School/High Tech Program and sets it apart from other school-based activities and programs. Internships help students to develop skills, meet professionals in varied occupations, gain invaluable work experience (and sometimes permanent employment), and learn about high tech career opportunities—all while earning a stipend for their contributions to the organization.

Internships Defined

Internship Goals Help the student to develop or confirm a high tech career goal in an area that matches his or her interests Increase the student's self-esteem as a worker Develop the student's awareness of work culture expectations in business or industry environments Help the student to determine the type and level of education/training he or she will need after high school Give the student an opportunity to learn new skills and gain work experience High School/High Tech students should have the opportunity to participate in paid summer internship experiences. Most internships take place between the junior and senior years of high school, although some students are ready to work in internships as early as the sophomore year. Internships usually take place during the summer months, but some students work during winter or spring vacations, on weekends, or after school. The internship duration varies, depending on the number of hours worked each week and the student's and internship supervisor's preferences. Ideally, the student should work a total of at least 25 hours per week during the course of the internship, for a minimum of six (6) weeks.

Internship Goals

• Help the student to develop or confirm a high tech career goal in an area that matches his or her interests
• Increase the student's self-esteem as a worker
• Develop the student's awareness of work culture expectations in business or industry environments
• Help the student to determine the type and level of education/training he or she will need after high school
• Give the student an opportunity to learn new skills and gain work experience

Selection of an internship should be made by the student, in consultation with the High School/High Tech Program coordinator. When helping students to identify and select internship opportunities, remember that the quality of the work activity is more important than the quantity of work experience. Ideally, students work at the employer's worksite, although telecommuting from home may be a viable option in some situations.

Here are some of the exciting places that High School/High Tech students have worked and the positions they have held:

Employer MCI Worldcom Live Wave5 Entre Information Systems CR Tech Department Concept Software Durability IDD (Interactive Design Development) Phoenix Recognition Research, Inc. VT Cave Albany Herald NASA National Weather Service Florida Institute of Technology Marine Resource Center Space Coast Press

HS/HT Student Position Computer Support Web Developer Marketing Research Computer Support Software Development Materials Processing and Development Interactive Multimedia Computer Aided Design Software Technology Virtual Reality Photography/Graphics Computer, Administration & Engineering Monitoring Systems Assisted Physics Professor Lab & Field Activities Editing, writing copy, and photography

Below are some questions you will need to ask when establishing and maintaining paid summer internship programs:

How will you fund your paid summer internship program?
Funding of internship programs can be a challenge, and considerable time and effort may be needed to secure adequate funding. Typically, programs are funded by multiple sources, which may change from year to year. Possible sources of funding include Workforce Investment Act (WIA), stipends from the employers, wages paid by employers, United Way, non-profit organizations, and federal, state, and local grants dealing with workforce development, special education transition, career education and youth employment.

How will you develop work opportunities?
When looking for summer placement sites, consider contacting large organizations or government agencies that eventually may be able to offer paid employment to more than one student, organizations that have been involved with other aspects of High School/High Tech (for example, by participating in your local advisory committee, hosting a worksite visit, or speaking at one of your workshops), and organizations with which project staff may have an existing relationship. Also, bear in mind that your funding sources may stipulate specific parameters of summer internship sites.

How will you select students for each employment site?
Establish your requirements for paid summer internships. For example, will you require each student to have completed the junior year, participated in other High School/High Tech components, toured the worksite, prepared a resume, or completed specified forms (applications, interest surveys, etc.)? Also consider whether or not students will need to interview with the employers. Some High School/High Tech projects have decided not to allow employers to interview and select students because this process can prove to be logistically difficult, especially as the summer internship component grows. In lieu of interviews, project staff might assess each student's interests and logistical situation, and then (with the student's input) make assignments.

How will you orient students?
Project staff should orient students to the goals and expectations of the summer internships, and introduce them to their summer employment assignments. Consider developing a handbook for students and holding a seminar to discuss your summer employment program before assignments are made. You might also arrange for students to meet their supervisors at the worksite before the internships begin.

Will you be involved in providing transportation?
Some High School/High Tech programs offer paid summer internship participants transportation. This may be particularly important if public transportation is not an option. If you decide to provide transportation, be sure to include it as a line item in your budget. However, this is one area where it is important to empower students to find the best mode of transportation for themselves. This is a step toward increased independence.

How will you handle liability issues?
Safety and liability are major concerns of all partners in any community-based work experience program, and High School/High Tech is no exception. Liability laws and coverage will vary across different jurisdictions, and from company to company. Coverage will also vary according to the type of experience, such as job shadowing and site visits, volunteer positions, internships, and actual employment (at prevailing wages). Therefore, it is critical that the program coordinator research these issues locally. A good place to start? For work experiences that will occur during the school year, contact your school district's administrator responsible for school-to-career activities and/or cooperative work experiences. These individuals are extremely well-versed in this area. For summer youth employment programs outside the realm of the school system, you may want to develop agreements with local companies or look into an umbrella policy through your organization. Again, should you encounter any confusion or uncertainty, do not hesitate to contact the National Program Office for assistance.

How will you monitor students' progress and evaluate the success of the summer internship experience?
The frequency and intensity of student monitoring is a function of the students' feelings of self-confidence and need for instruction, the employers' satisfaction, and the judgment of the summer staff. At a minimum, ask each student or supervisor to complete a weekly activity report. At the completion of the internship or summer employment, ask each student and supervisor to complete a form evaluating the overall summer employment experience (see model forms in Appendix II).

Benefits of Paid Summer Internships

Paid summer internships, in high tech settings, can have a positive and lasting impact on students' self-perceptions and career development. Moreover, summer employment programs can help students to develop ongoing relationships with employers that may become involved your High School/High Tech project in other ways, such as serving on your local advisory committee.

Benefits for Students:

• Learn skills, including computer skills, that are directly related to high tech jobs.
• Gain self-confidence.
• Earn a paycheck, often for the first time, and learn to manage money earned.
• Gain an understanding of the benefits of work and how their effort contributes to a larger goal.
• Learn to use public transportation or to travel independently.
• Develop a resume and obtain recommendations.
• Learn about the importance of punctuality, appropriate attire, and professional behavior.
• Establish relationships that may lead to internships and permanent or future employment.
• Meet people with disabilities who are successful in their careers.
• Receive feedback from supervisors and co-workers about college choices and future training plans.

Benefits for Employers:

• Provide assistance for permanent staff on projects.
• Undertake projects postponed for lack of time and/or staff.
• Develop an awareness about the potential for students with disabilities to be successful, productive workers.
• Increase the organization's overall comfort with persons with disabilities.
• Improve understanding of reasonable accommodations in the workplace.

Benefits for School Personnel:

• Increase awareness about the capabilities of students with disabilities.
• Gain information about individual students' skills and achievements.
• Develop a better understanding of the academic and work-related requirements of the business community, particularly high tech employers.

(Source: Goddard/NASA Space Flight Center/UCP Prince George's & Montgomery County-MD)

Road Map for a Successful Paid Internship Program

No two High School/High Tech paid internship programs are alike, but the following steps should be considered on the road to planning and implementing your program:

• Work with your local advisory committee and employers in the community to identify viable worksites.
• Identify students who will participate.
• Advise students of the paid internship opportunities, and help them to select options they will find stimulating and relevant to their interests. Remember that the quality of the work activity is paramount.
• Educate work supervisors about the High School/High Tech program and the goals of the internship or summer employment program. This might be accomplished through one-on-one meetings with the employers or by holding a breakfast meeting, for example.
• Ask the student, his or her parents, and the employer to complete a letter of agreement specifying the terms of the internship or summer employment (see model forms in Appendix II).
• Arrange for funding of stipends and payment of stipends to students. Stipends may be paid by the employer who is then reimbursed, or paid by the organization administering your local High School/High Tech Program.
• Communicate with the employer and student during the course of the internship or summer employment to monitor the student's progress and satisfaction. A work log (see Appendix II) could be used to gather information about weekly activities.
• Celebrate the students' accomplishments and employers' contributions. For example, host an appreciation breakfast or lunch to recognize and thank the students and employers.
• Send thank you letters to key personnel at the worksites and encourage students to send letters as well.
• Develop methods to evaluate each internship or summer employment experience from the student's and the employer's perspective. Evaluation data could be gathered using student/employer evaluation and feedback forms (see model forms in Appendix II).
• Analyze the evaluation data and make changes or improvements where needed.

Site Highlights

SITE HIGHLIGHT The Goddard High School/High Tech Senior Year Experience The Goddard Space Flight Center High School/High Tech Program in Maryland offers a "senior component" to further develop high school seniors' interests and skills in the Internet and computer technology. The summer before the senior year, students have the opportunity to work for pay at prestigious federal government agencies and high tech firms, and many of them demonstrate outstanding Website design skills, Internet skills, and hardware skills. By the end of the summer, some are capable of troubleshooting and computer repair at a competitive level. The program's senior component allows students who want additional experience to volunteer during the senior year. Those with Website development interests may apply their skills while working with Web programmers at service and nonprofit agencies. Other seniors may volunteer to work under the tutelage of experienced hardware technicians to refurbish and repair computers that have been donated to High School/High Tech schools. Both options enable the students to develop their skills further while giving back to their communities.

SITE HIGHLIGHT Georgia High School/High Tech Project What a thrill for students participating in the Georgia High School/High Tech Project – they joined forces with the Florida High School/High Tech participants to witness the launch of John Glenn's second historic space flight! They have had numerous opportunities to talk firsthand with representatives of corporations who conduct business with NASA, the Georgia Business Leadership Network, and a number of Fortune 100 companies. Students have been able to receive computer training in an accessible lab funded by NASA through a collaborative grant from Savannah State University and the Georgia Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. Corporations and government agencies, such as the Muscogee County Board of Education, AFLAC, Cello-Foil, WALB-TV, and many others have provided students with summer internships.

SITE HIGHLIGHT Montgomery County Virginia High School/High Tech Everyone has heard of the National Weather Service, but do they know that its office in Blacksburg, Virginia has established a High School/High Tech project there, in collaboration with the Montgomery County (Virginia) School Systems and the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center? Students in this project site have participated in some exciting and diverse high technology internships. Imagine getting to work for a computer engineering virtual reality lab and designing Websites! Or assisting meteorologists in conducting analyses of severe weather events. Or how about incorporating sound and music into a company's software presentations? These are just a few of the opportunities that have been developed for high school youth with disabilities in this rural region. And to top it off, many of these students are heading on to college – something many thought impossible!

SITE HIGHLIGHT Florida High School/High Tech Project Living in the home state of NASA has been a golden opportunity for students in the Florida High School/High Tech Project to explore the exciting world of careers related to the aerospace industry. In addition to witnessing John Glenn's historic second launch, they hosted students from other states for the Space Congress and "Meet the Astronauts" panel discussion, rode a bus up onto the shuttle launch pad, attended NASA briefings by the shuttle crew after their return, participated in a workshop sponsored by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and attended the launching of a weather satellite. Florida High School/High Tech has also put a heavy emphasis on summer internships and post secondary education. Several students are interning at NASA and attending Brevard Community College, Florida Tech, and Georgia Tech. Another exciting program feature is in the works: a Summer Peer Mentoring Program. The Florida Department of Vocational Rehabilitation has been instrumental in helping many of these students receive career guidance, scholarship information, and tuition assistance.

As you plan your HIGH SCHOOL/HIGH TECH destinations (i.e., your program components), consider the following general criteria. Program components should:

• Enable students to explore individual interests and potential in science and technology careers.
• Encourage students to aim for a college degree.
• Help students become aware of career paths and career opportunities in a particular field.
• Provide strong adult leadership at the program component location.
• Expose students to positive role models and mentors.
• Be located in a safe, accessible facility and provide reasonable accommodations for students.
• Offer hours that are convenient to participating students' schedules.
• Be conveniently located, and offer parking for students or be accessible by public transportation.

Program Organization & Structure

Supposed you are entertaining the notion of taking a much-needed vacation to a nice resort. That's all you know at this time: somewhere nice. Now let's say you begin doing a bit of research on the resorts. Mountain getaways, island paradises, spiritual retreats, sporting competitions, luxury accommodations, outback camping. The range of potential environments is vast. And within each of these types of environments is a myriad of choices from less expensive to out-of-sight expensive. Each site may share commonalities...but naturally they will all be uniquely organized and structured.

This is exactly what the National High School/High Tech Program values in the replication of its models nationwide: sites that will share the core mission and vision set forth by the National High School/High Tech Office while developing unique character that reflects local communities, their citizens, and their industries. The freedom to find and showcase original approaches to partnerships, funding, program activities, and staffing is what continues to make High School/High Tech such a vibrant and exciting model.

The Relationship Between the National High School/High Tech Program Office and Local Programs

The primary role of the National High School/High Tech Office is to promote the establishment and healthy operations of model sites in diverse communities across the country. The National Office supports each site as it moves through stages of development, from initial start up to establishment of key partnerships, identification and securing of funding sources, program delivery, promotion and marketing activities, and all the way through celebration of outcomes.

While the National Office may, from time to time, have access to seed money that can be used to help support individual sites, its most important role is assisting local site leadership in providing technical assistance. The National Office also has a role in identifying resources available from federal, state, and local grant-making institutions, private foundations, and—where feasible—through school systems and state vocational rehabilitation agencies. The National Office is positioned to help local sites by sending ideas, and letters of support, for applications to various funding agencies. The National Office can also identify potential opportunities for leveraging resources, that is, using available funds from one source to encourage a contributed or matched share from another.

The National Office also collects important descriptive information from each site, such as data on activities, partnerships, and student outcomes. This information, in turn, is used to further promote the project and to encourage potential funding sources to commit to financial support of local sites. In essence, the National Office functions as a clearinghouse and conduit among diverse sites.

This arrangement is intended to foster, and indeed encourage, the uniqueness and autonomy of High School/High Tech operations at state and local levels. Unlike many national programs that are tightly controlled both fiscally and programmatically by their national headquarters, the National High School/High Tech Program Office is delighted to see the creativity and exciting outcomes generated by individual sites, due to local initiative. Perhaps a theatrical analogy is appropriate here. Consider your local project site to be the High School/High Tech star performers—the ones onstage. The National High School/High Tech Office provides the backstage support and technical assistance. Everyone has different contributions—all critical to the overall success of the performance!

Examples of Organizational Structures from Selected Sites

The following are several examples of the unique organizational structures of several High School/High Tech sites.

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