Exciting New Project for Some Eastern Kentucky Students
May 5, 2008 
Traci Prater and I attended what looks to be a great opportunity for Eastern Kentucky students today at the Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative in Hazard, Kentucky.
The pilot project involves students from 10 counties in Eastern KY creating a virtual learning community called Purpose Island using Teen Second Life, which is a compenent of Second Life. If you are not familiar with Second Life, it is a virtual world where members can create a avatar and bascially be anything or anyone they want in the virtual world.
Using Teen Second Life, students will create the virtual island where each group will establish a part of a learning community. They will have resources to build a building to house their part of the community. Students will create an avatar for themselves and can participate in all the activities of the Teen Life virtual world.
If the project is successfully, it will be a springboard for a state-wide expansion initiative. While most of the project is still in the planning, it appear it will be an exciting opportunity for our students and those of us chosen to mentor the program.
This sounds amazing, is there a way that I could find more out about this and possibly get involved? I live here in Hazard and would love to know more. Thanks..
Lexie,
Contact Jeff Hawkins at KVEC. I’ve copied and posted the original letter we received below.
Subject: Kentucky Youth Leadership Summit – The Development of a Virtual Community
Friends,
On Monday May 5th, KVEC and its member districts will host the Kentucky Youth Leadership Summit. This year the entire focus of the Summit will be on the development of a Virtual Electronic Learning Community by and for Youth that will promote Leadership development and service learning experiences across the region.
The Summit will bring together 80 students (along with their sponsors) currently enrolled in grades 9 – 11 within the KVEC Service Area who will work on the design, parameters, and implementation of the Virtual Learning Community that will go active during the summer months prior to the beginning of the next school year. The Virtual Learning Community will enable students to interact in meaningful ways that foster extended learning, leadership opportunities, college level credit through HCTC, and a regional dialogue focused on educational improvement.
We have met with Congressman Hal Rogers on the conceptual design for the initiative and agreed that this initiative will serve as a pilot capable of implementation across the 5th Congressional District following the first year of implementation. Congressman Rogers has requested that his staff attend the Summit so that they can participate in the development process.
The Summit will accommodate a total of 80 students and their sponsors. Because of those space constraints, we will be able to accept 8 student registrants per district on a first come – first served basis. Students and their sponsors can register on-line on the KVEC Home Page – http://www.kentuckyvalley.org
If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact me at your convenience.
Jeff Hawkins