note:  translation provided by a MOUSE Corps member

MOUSE Squad is not a make-believe type of club. They are student-operated IT departments in the school, if a student’s laptop malfunctions or if a teacher is having trouble with their SMART Board, they don’t have to anxiously wait for the help desk or the maintenance personnel to take care of the situation, they just directly contact the MOUSE Squad and it will be solved.

In the year 1997, New York City entrepreneur Mr. Andrew Rasiej founded a national non-profit organization MOUSE in order to support schools [and address] the technology gap. At first, the goal was just to sponsor schools to get technological equipment, but by the year 2000, schools no longer lacked equipment. The MOUSE organization then established the MOUSE Squad program aiming to train young students from elementary school to high school [with] technology skills and to have a bright future in the information society.

Currently worldwide, there are 430 MOUSE Squads, with about 4,000 members providing service to students and educators in their schools. Within the numerous MOUSE Squads, Hudson High School of Learning Technologies of New York City was awarded the 2011 “Best New MOUSE Squad of the Year.”

Learning technology, obtaining self-affirmation from service

The members of the MOUSE Squad of the Hudson High School of Learning Technologies have the MOUSE Squad logo proudly branded on their student IDs. They have their own office, as well as classes that they are assigned to take care of. “They have completely replaced external maintenance personnel,” Instructor, Mr. Wilson Ortiz says with pride. Even the principal, Mrs. Nancy Amling compliments, “If I have not already paid for the warranty, I would not call the outside people to come in for repair at all.” Recently, Mrs. Amling is doing some teacher development evaluation, also asking highly competent MOUSE Squad members to help design related research.

But the purpose of MOUSE Squad is far more than just developing students to become IT experts, nor is it to help the school lessen maintenance costs, but it is to let the students believe that “I can do it! I can still do more!” says the Executive Director of MOUSE, Daniel Rabuzzi.

Because of this, MOUSE Squad’s training curriculum greatly emphasizes the physiological growth. MOUSE does annual research of members’ learning status and comments. Records shows that 96% of students report that their problem-solving and communication skills have improved; 95% of students have become more self-confident and believe in having a better future.

Technology may not be able to change behaviors or personalities, but the confidence developed from technology is enough to change life.

Learning Cooperation, Let Rebellious Girl Turn into Star Student.

On the day before CommonWealth Parenting visited Hudson High School for the interview, MOUSE Squad member, 11th grader Zainab Oni, went to the 3rd Annual White House Science Fair and shook President Obama’s hand. Zainab returns to school with Honor, wherever she goes, she’s surrounded by a group of people asking her to review of the “tour” to the White House.

“Can you imagine? At first, she wouldn’t cooperate with anyone,” Mrs. Amling recalls the Zainab from two years ago. This 11 year old girl, who had just moved from Nigeria, Africa to America, hated to work with other classmates because of her cleverness and arrogance and [did not like] to do work assigned by the teachers. She would rather be suspended for days, than not doing what she wants to do. Later, Zainab joined MOUSE Squad; from an arrogant loner she became a star student who makes the team more outstanding.

Learn Communication, Customer Service

Because the “customers” of MOUSE Squad are usually teachers and staffs with more power than themselves, how to communicate in a reasonable/professional manner to gain clients’ trust is also a big challenge for MOUSE Squad.

For example, the MOUSE Squad of Vallemar School in California, have members that are students ranged from fourth to eighth grade. The instructor confesses that these kids spent a lot of time to win the reliance from other staff. Since seeing little kids dismantling their own computers, teachers just can’t help but to worry anxiously.

Therefore, these members must take care of different classes in groups. For example, let’s say the computer in Kindergarten is having problems, then the group assigned to the Kindergarten will go investigate. Tasks do not get assigned randomly as they come in. If staff often comes in contact with the same group of kids, with the instructor ready to help by their side, people will become much comfortable in relying on MOUSE Squad for repairs.

MOUSE Squad training is very complete, other than the required technology training, it also includes visiting all kinds of corporations, such as animation-making companies, computer recycling factories, and a big corporation’s IT department. For students that wishes to advance, they can join MOUSE Corps.  Other than being able to be in touch with all types of top technology, the organization will also arrange technology mentors to work with students.

Not only are students trained, MOUSE Squad also arranges lessons for the school and the educators. Since MOUSE Squad runs in the whole school, students and faculty receive understanding, acknowledgement, and support.

MOUSE Squad is a stage made for students by society, corporations, and schoolteachers and students as one.

Finally society will then realize that students can no longer be forced to passively receive education. From MOUSE’s meticulous training to school faculties’ praises and affirmation without reservation, everything is to make the kids believe that towards education and towards their future, they can grasp more.