Philanthropist Ms. Kathleen Patton is not only one of the Cofounders of Crossing the Digital Divide, she is also the organization’s CEO and Executive Director. With a solid background in business, having started her first NPO in her early twenties, Kathleen Patton was more than prepared to take on the challenge of opening a computer training facility. This facility has been on the cutting edge of “Reentry Programs”. City officials are heralding RP’s as being vital to the cities success as they offer support to some of the most at-risk adults who are recovering from drug abuse and other challenges. Kathleen Patton’s organization, which was formed in January 2004, gives recovering addicts the opportunity to change their lives by learning how to use today’s technology to earn a living. Crossing the Digital Divide, which is located in Los Angeles, California, has three locations to better serve the community of high-risk adults in recovery.

Kathleen Patton utilizes her business smarts to manage and oversee the operations at Crossing the Digital Divide. Because of Kathleen Patton’s efforts, the Crossing the Digital Divide staff, and the numerous volunteers, Crossing the Digital Divide is an award-winning organization that has received recognition from the local government, including the mayor of the city of Los Angeles.

In addition to her work with CDD, Ms. Kathleen Patton also enjoys a close family, friends and colleagues. Kathleen Patton relaxes by participating in swimming, volleyball, hiking, music and film.

Kathleen Patton finds special meaning in the quote, “The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy.” Ms. Kathleen Patton also finds inspiration and deep meaning in a quote credited to one of her favorite writers, world-renowned author and poet Maya Angelou: "All great achievements require time."

CDD Cri-Help Course Report March 2008

Cri-Help Course Report:  March 2008

 

Instructors:  Becky Ha, Joon Huh, Russ Matthews, Dan Raju

Our session progressed very smoothly, despite the fact a number of students who originally began the class did not end up finishing.  We had two first-time Instructors, who picked up the material very quickly and brought new skills to the classroom.

The session began with approximately 20 students - a fairly large group.  However, due to individuals leaving the center (completion of their stay) or simply dropping the class, we ended up with 11 graduates.  This is a fairly typical experience for Cri-Help, so it was not particularly disruptive, as the core group of students began forming by the 3rd week of class.

Initially, many of the students were shy or not very talkative.  As Instructors, we used analogies and other techniques to engage the students.  Most students became interested in participating around the Computer Discovery terms, especially as terminology illustration was performed with an open computer in the classroom.

Most students grasped the basic concept of an outline, and by the time they had begun writing papers, most were well on their way to explaining their Personal Plan for Success. 

One of the challenges in the classroom is being able to explain the concepts without the benefit of the students being hands-on while the lecture is taking place.  To compensate for this, students were engaged through the asking of questions, and constant review of the topics covered in prior classes.

Although she was not our chosen graduation speaker, one student that I would like to mention is Alicia Garcia.  She was always very attentive in class, and although it sometimes took her a while to grasp the concepts, she was eager to participate.  Alicia worked diligently on her outline, and was one of the first to volunteer to present her paper.  Her Personal Plan for Success was well thought out, and included her goals of going back to school and becoming a Human Resources representative.  Alicia was also excited by the notion that her daughter would be able to see her blog entry and graduation picture on the CDD website.  Seeing the progression in a student like Alicia is the reason that we teach.

Overall, although the class ended up with a reduced number of students, those who graduated were a very easy group to work with, and seemed eager to learn.  Of course, the graduation ceremony is always the ultimate payoff for us as instructors, as we feel the satisfaction of seeing the students complete the session, and see their genuine appreciation for our work.  This year’s was no different.