Project Enable in the Las Cruces Sun News

Project Enable helps mobility disabled hone computer skills

By Matlin Smith

msmith@lcsun-news.com @msmith_lcsun on Twitter

POSTED:   01/25/2014 04:50:43 PM MST

From left, Juan Flores, Rafael Gomez and Gomez's father, construct the body of a robot during a summer workshop for Project Enable. Once the robot was completed, the group programed it to go through an obstacle course. (Courtesy photo)

LAS CRUCES >> The ability to create his own smartphone application is what drew Rudy Garcia into the program, and developing career-ready computer skills is what kept him there.

Garcia, of El Paso, has a mobility disability, which makes him perfect for Las Cruces-based Project Enable, a National Science Foundation-funded program that aims to increase the participation of people with mobility disabilities in computing.

"We are trying to get people to go back to school and get computing-related degrees, like computer science, software engineering, any STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) related degree, and do that as a career," said Dr. Jeanine Cook, with New Mexico State University, who wrote the grant proposal for the program. "The problem is that there aren't enough people going into these areas. There are actually more jobs than bodies to do those jobs."

A completed robot, built by participants in NMSU's Project Enable, prepares to go through an obstacle course as part of one of the program's workshops, held last summer. (Courtesy photo)

The program was started five years ago, and up until last year, has only had workshops in Pennsylvania, which has a denser population.

Garcia, part of the inaugural local group, said the program allows participants to look at different majors and careers they would be able to do according to their ability.

"It's been a great experience," he said.

The first local workshop — held at Highland Regional Rehabilitation Hospital in El Paso — began when Project Enable reached out to the Spinal Injury Support Group there looking for participants.

"I think people just have this thought that (in computer sciences) they're going to be bored all the time, doing math non-stop and never talking to another human being. That's not the case at all," said Karin Rankin, NMSU Project Enable 

coordinator.

The first local workshop, or cohort, was held last July and focused on using software to learn the concepts of computer programming by making a video. The second cohort, held a month later in August, taught computer science through robotics, which, according to the Project Enable website, has been shown to be effective for students who have had no prior introduction or experience with computing.

Project Enable participants prepared to assemble a robot out of a kit that includes kit that includes an on-board computer, sensors for light and obstacles, motors and a power supply for the robot's moveable limbs. (Courtesy photo)

During the August workshop, participants each received a robot kit that included an on-board computer, sensors for light and obstacles, motors and a power supply for the robot's moveable limbs. After assembly, they put the robots they built through an obstacle course.

The cohorts last for three days, with three-hour sessions the first two days (dinner is provided each session) and a six-hour day on the final day, followed by a gala dinner in which family of the participants are invited to view their work.

The second session of cohorts will begin on Jan. 30, at Highland Regional Rehabilitation Hospital in El Paso, and will be held through Feb. 1. This workshop will again use software for participants to create a digital video that will be showcased for friends and family during the final day of the workshop, at the gala dinner.

Dates for this session's remaining cohorts have not been determined yet, but participants will get to build robots in the second cohort of the session and, for the third cohort, according to the website, will be introduced to developing applications for smartphones using basic programming concepts.

Rankin said the program is free and open to anyone with a mobility disability, which is defined as a condition limiting physical ability, or lack of movement due to disease, amputation, paralysis, injury or developmental condition.

For their participation, group members receive $1,000 for remaining in the program for the whole year and participating in activities that include the cohorts, career night, technology night and a tour of the STEM-related areas at NMSU.

"During the rest of the time, they're assigned a mentor, which is a college student involved in computer science or technology, who contacts them biweekly to see if they have questions and provide those individuals with information, like what scholarships are available," Rankin said.

There are still spots open for this session of the program, Rankin said. To fill out an application for the program and to attend the first cohort on Jan. 30, or for more information, visit Project Enable online at project-enable.org, or contact Rankin at karran@nmsu.edu or prjnable@nmsu.edu.

"It's amazing to see how excited they are about what they want to do with their lives," Rankin said of former participants. "You're just floored everyday when you talk to these people who have difference challenges than the average college student, but they won't let it stop them."

"Go in open-minded and give every subject a chance," Garcia recommends to anyone considering the program. "Give whatever you're learning that day a chance."

El Paso Amazement

About a week ago we had our first workshop in El Paso, TX. It has been a long journey for all of us to get to the point of having a cohort in the Southwest, and it went so well. Clearly, it was worth all the hard work!

We were able to house the workshops at Highlands Regional Rehabilitation Hospital. Ron was the gentleman who was kind enough to be our contact at the wonderful hospital. The first Friday of each month they host a spinal injury support group, and several of our participants came from this group. It is a lovely place and we appreciate their kindness so much.

Over the three day workshop participants learned about animation through the Alice animation program. At the conclusion of the workshop, we were able to show participants and their families some of their animation. Seeing the creativity of each participant was so fun, and pretty impressive.

One of our favorite parts of each workshop is getting to know participants more. Every time we get the chance to hear your stories, we are more and more humbled to get to teach and share with each of you. From participants who were only injured a few months ago and are now working towards new dreams, to the individuals who have spent most of their lives in a wheelchair but still have astounding hope.

You are amazing, and teach us more than we could ever dream to teach you. Thank you for this opportunity.

We have our second workshop in El Paso starting tomorrow. Each participant will be teamed up with another person, and they will build and program a lego robot. We are excited to see more hope, more enthusiasm, and be continually astounded by each of our participants.

ESPN & You

By choosing a career in Computer Science, it opens the door to employment in many different industries. For example, if you are interested in sports, working for ESPN might interest you.  Below is an e-mail that was sent to all NMSU computer science majors.

From: Ibarra, David
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 2:54 PM
Subject: ESPN Creative Services Summer Internship

Hi Everyone,
Our Summer Internship (Graphic Design Motion Graphics) is now open. Please reach out to anyone you know and would like to apply for the internship.

ESPNcareers.com
Job Id  81205BR-1

http://jobs.espncareers.com/connecticut/design/jobid3167225-internship-summer-2013-motion-graphics-design-jobs

Thanks, David Ibarra

--

Department of Computer Science

New Mexico State University

Introducing Wil Lawler!

At Project Enable, we have been very fortunate to have all the participants we have had over the last few years. Over the next few months, we'd like to take the opportunity to introduce you to some of these amazing people. 

For our first interview, please let us present to you Wil Lawler. He is a participant in one of the Philadelphia cohorts...but perhaps he can explain himself better than I can.

Project Enable: Tell us a little about yourself: where are you from? How old are you? Do you have siblings? Etc.

William:  I was born and raised in the Philadelphia suburb of Havertown Pa, I'm twenty six years old now. I'm the oldest of four children, one brother Jack who is twenty five, and my twin sisters Sandy and Ginny, who are twenty three. My mother and father have been married twenty eight years, and who both are employed outside the house, so I grew up in a tight knit family.

PE:  How and when did you get your injury/disability?

Wil:  My life changed on October 20^th 2010 when I went riding my bicycle to go watch a Phillies playoff game, and was hit by a high speed car, I totaled that car. I wasn't wearing my helmet so I suffered a traumatic brain injury as well as a T3 spinal cord injury. I was in a coma for about a month, came to at HUP. Then I learned the Phillies lost to the San Francisco Giants and Howard went down looking. I was transferred to Magee rehabilitation hospital, and was there until February 17^th working on my rehab and learning how to live my life again.

PE:  When it first happened, what did you think?  How did you fight discouragement?

When I was in the hospital I didn’t really know what to think, my mind was still very mixed up, I just assumed that if I worked as hard as I could in rehab that I would be able to walk out the front door of Magee. I did the best I could but still was unable to walk again. I’ve always been a positive person, and it took me a little while to realize how lucky I have been recovering from my brain injury, and the fact that I'm only a paraplegic, and have full use of my hands and arms. I've been able to look at how lucky I am, I don't sweat the small stuff of not being able to walk.

PE: Do you have a support system? How have they helped you since all this happened?

I've got a great family support system, and for that I am so thankful. They were able to throw a big fundraiser once I was out of the hospital, and that helped so much getting our house handicapped accessible. They have always been there giving me rides to doctors appointments and helping me get around town. I even had one of my coworkers who was a personal trainer, take it upon himself to take me on has a client, he had never worked with someone with a spinal cord injury. He truly motivated me to get strong and guided me on how to live a healthy lifestyle.

PE: How has Project Enable helped you in your quest to get a college degree?

I had already started working on my college degree even before my injury, I was taking classes at Delaware County Community College. Not even one year after my injury I had re enrolled in college and was able to finish up the marketing class I had started with the same professor. I changed my major from business administration, to computer science. I had a head start because this was my major right after I had graduated high school in 2005. Now that I am confined to the wheelchair I have been much more focused on my school work.

Personally, I felt the first session of project enable with Alice programing was a little bit elementary, because I have been writing C++ code for many years now. Working with the mind storms was more challenging, because I have never worked with robotics. It was also a good session because we worked in teams, I'm a natural leader, and its always nice to help someone else with their programing skills.

PE:  What are you studying at university? Why did you pick this major? What are you planning to do after graduation?

I'm now finishing up my time at Delaware County Community College, I'm studying Java programing and accounting for my spring semester. I have applied to transfer to Drexel, I hope to be studying computer science there in the fall of 2013. I hope to transition into a career and become a software developer.

PE:  If you could tell a possible participant one thing about Project Enable, what would it be?

If I could tell a possible applicant one thing about Project Enable, it would be that this program is a great way to learn about a possible career in technology. The instructors will work with you and even if your not a math and science pro, its not overly challenging.

Leaf It To Him

See what this software engineer did with his programming skills!

Entrepreneur Magazine
February, 2013

Outstanding Employment Opportunities

In the Aggie Panorama it was reported that new computer science jobs would be abundant with high salary ranges.

Physical Disability and Assistive Tech in Media

Happy New Year to one and all from all of us at Project Enable. I'm not sure what New Year's looks like in PA, but here in New Mexico it mostly involves fireworks and time with friends. I'd imagine it's something similar in the North East.

We've been on a holiday break for the past week and a half, and are back and ready to get busy recruiting mentors (for both PA and NM), and participants (just NM this time).  During the break I got the chance to catch up on my movie watching, and something caught my eye...most movies that come out today don't have physically disabled people shown very often...at least not the way that they are usually portrayed.

See, I'm learning more and more that people who don't have a disability (myself included) seem to make snap judgements about people using crutches or rolling through life in a wheelchair. These assumptions are usually wrong, and I am not sure where they all come from. Movies, in the past, that have had physically disabled characters in them don't usually show them in a positive light. They are usually slower, and often, aren't main characters. The only time we see a main character who is disabled, it's a retailing of someone's actual life story..."the exception rather than the rule" kind of mentality.

But, I'm noticing something different happening, and it's encouraging to see. More movies are being made with and about disabled individuals. "Hyde Park on the Hudson" is about FDR and shows how his disability didn't stop him from living (even if he did try to hide it from the public). Then there are movies like "The King's Speech"...not specifically about a physically disabled person, but more about a friendship between two people.

But I'd have to say my personal favorite movie, that also highlights assistive technology, would have to be "How to Train Your Dragon". Upon first glance, this isn't a movie about physical disability at all, and that is partly why it is a great movie about physical disability. Three characters use assistive tech on a daily basis, but that's not what defines them. Gobber has a multi-purpose prosthetic arm and a prosthetic leg. Toothless, the dragon, needs a replacement tail fin to fly properly. And (not to give too much away for those of you who haven't seen the movie) Hiccup requires assistive tech as well. If you haven't seen it, I encourage you to take a look. It's a good movie, and an encouraging one as well.

All these characters are so much more than their disabilities or their tech. And that's what good technology should be...not surpassing the individual, but rather, surpassing the way people see them.

And that's what we hope to show you all through our Technology nights, as well as encourage each participant to look into AT in greater detail. What could you create with the right opportunities...and nothing opens doors like a 4 year degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics.