Community Partner Spotlight — MOUSE Squad of California (MSCA)
MOUSE Squad of California (MSCA)
http://mousesquadca.org
Jan Half, Program Founder and Director
Dr. Crystal Jensen, Program/School Relations Manager
Rebecca Levy, Grant Writer/Fund Development
MOUSE Squad of California’s (MSCA) mission is to empower under served youth to learn, lead and create with technology, preparing them with skills essential for their academic and career success. “We believe every child should be ‘connected,’ not just to technology, but to learning, innovation, self-esteem, job skills, life skills, community, and leadership opportunities,” says Jan Half, Founder and Program Director. MSCA’s award-winning Student Tech Leadership program accomplishes this by training students to become the “tech experts” in their community. Students in grades 4–12 receive high-quality STEM education, project-based learning activities and confidence-building experiences designed to support their academic, personal and social development and improve their potential for future success. MSCA’s partnership with the Center for Nonprofit and Public Leadership began in 2007, when a Social Sector Solutions (S3) student consulting team helped create the 5-year strategic plan that was used as the foundation for MSCA’s growth and development. “At that time, MSCA was only three years old and our Student Tech Leadership Program was in only 23 sites. The S3 team created an expansion plan that included having our program in at least 100 sites by 2011. MSCA exceeded that goal and, to date, have accomplished 80% of S3s’ recommendations,” says Half. Now, MSCA is celebrating its 10th anniversary and a second S3 team is assisting MSCA in strategizing their next five years, with an emphasis on expansion, fundraising and staffing.
What role does technology play in education today? “Our current technology has changed the game by supporting communities of practice to connect and collaborate. Technology is… simply a tool to further empower sound educational/ pedagogical theory and practice.” answers Dr. Crystal Jensen. “Overall, our current technology tools have truly become a powerful democratizing force for our educational system and our society in general. Therefore, technology’s potential impact on the future is great and the effect of its exponential power is truly unknown.”
Dr. Jensen also offers some advice to MBA’s in the field;
- “Specialize in an area that you are passionate about, such as K-12, higher-education, marginalized communities (social justice), and/or e-learning.”
- “MBAs new to this sector will need to offer a new niche of expertise that is not currently being fulfilled by another consultant or organization.”
- “Change in education often happens slowly, MBA’s should ensure that they have reserved enough time, money, and energy to fully launch and sustain a viable consulting/business effort.”
- “Therefore, all new educational technologies professionals should maintain their credibility by maintaining the highest level of experience, education, and networking community.”
Check out more at the MOUSE Squad of California YouTube Channel
