WildTech Learning

This article details the technology students at Selkirk High School of North Pend Oreille County and a program called the Wilderness Technology Alliance. Among other things, the students are teaching a night class one day a week for the local community. They offer the full gambit of computer instruction, covering everything from hardware, setup, office, webpage design, or any other aspect of computer that any of the students know. The class has been well attended and has proven to be an excellent fundraiser for the Tech Club. Further, there has been such terrific feedback from the adults attending regarding how well the students perform in conducting the course that, regardless of it's huge financial impact for the club, is a terrific school/community event that fosters a better appreciation of the students and their skills.

They also focus on student-to-student teaching as a group of approximately 5 high school Techies will basically teach the junior high class, under the supervision of a teacher.

Selkirk has up to 10 students, primarily freshmen and sophomore, who hope to sit for the A+ Certification examination this spring. The A+ Certification is basically a "computer technician" certification, with which the students could start right out of high school at approximately $35,000 per year.

This model, at least at this High School, revolves around outdoor education as well, rock-climbing, for most; combining outdoor education and preservation with technological advancement. I think that this is great. Not only do the administrators of the school and the district understand that the students in many cases, know much more about technology than the adults, but they let the students be the driving force in utilizing their knowledge to further their own education. The adults have 'gotten out of the way' so-to-speak, and let these students strive to bring technology into the forefront. Along with encouraging students to seek outdoor activities, there seems to be a great balance and respect for both the natural world and the tech world.