The LearningCenter

The Learning Center consists of three separate rooms in the Shelton Community Center (the Armory at 601 W. Franklin, across the street from the Safeway). One room is a newly carpeted and painted Board Room, which has tables, chairs and a coffee cart. It will eventually have a white board, flip chart, computer and printer, as well as, an overhead projector. This room will be available to community groups who need meeting space.

Another room in The Learning Center is a Project Room. This room will eventually have office supplies of all sorts for youth to use for homework, science projects and any other educational activities in which they are involved. There will be a computer, world globe, atlas, encyclopedia, dictionary, thesaurus, white board, magazines, poster board, construction paper, magic markers, colored pencils and the like for their schoolwork.

In December of 2002, SOCK received a $55,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This grant was for Community Access to Technology, which allowed SOCK to purchase 18 state of the art computer workstations. The Skookum Rotary club donated $3,000 for carpeting and materials to turn the old firing range at the armory into a computer lab. Members of the club also donated their time and participated in painting the new lab. Jack Williams donated his time to build a wall and install a fire door. Hood Canal Communications donated their labor and materials to connect all of the computers to the Internet via high speed fiber provided by PUD3. Hood Canal Communications is providing the Internet access free of charge to SOCK on a year round basis. Mark Forsman volunteered his time and set up all of the computers and printers on a network.

On February 24, 2003, SOCK held an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony for the community to see the new lab. The CAT grant will allow SOCK to increase computer literacy skills and access to the Internet for all Mason County residents. This will be accomplished through one-on-one tutoring, interactive tutorials, software, classes and online help.

The community at large will have access to this computer lab. It will be open in three phases. Phase one is for the SOCK and Shelton School District youth to use. Phase two is for classes or facilitated groups to schedule the lab for their own use. Once individuals have become registered users in the lab they will be able to schedule their own lab time in the evenings when SOCK is open for its youth activities. Phase three is for the public to have access to the lab on a walk in basis.

For more information on use of the lab, contact Sue Sheldon at 432-0815 or by email..