By GINGER LIVINGSTON
Staff Writer, Daily Advance
A group of Northeastern High School parents were among the thousands of volunteers who showed up at schools across the state Saturday to help school choldren take full advantage of the infodrmation age.
Here in Elizabeth City, between 75-100 volunteers installed hundreds of yards of cable and computer wire at the high school and at six of the seven elementary schools during NetDay '96.
Their goal is to have the necessary wiring in place so computers within one school can be linked to computers at the same school and to computers at other schools.
Organizers of NetDay '96 in the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools said the parents and volunteers has helped make the event a success.
The U.S. Coast Guard base, Carolina Telephone, ComTech Computers, Coastal Office Equipment, Adelphia Cable Communications and Elizabeth City State University all sent volunteers with extensive cable wiring know-how to help with the project.
They were joined by dozens of volunteers from the local business community who assisted with cleanup and other non-technical jobs.
Mike kuno, who worked at Northeastern High School, has a son in the first grade. Kuno is an inventory management supervisor at the Coast Guard Aircraft Repair and Supply Center in Elizabeth City.
"It shows youir kids you are concerned and care about their education," Kuno said. "I want to help support his education."
The volunteers installed cable wiring at Northeastern Hish School and at Central, H.L. Trigg, Northside, P.W. Moore, Sheep-Harney and Weeksville elementary schools.
Teams of 10-12 people installed enough cabling to wire six classrooms. The school system pain for the project by raising $11,725 from both public and private sources.
Mack McCary, Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Schools' assistant superintendent of instruction, said each school has at least two other wiring kits to be installed. Because Saturday's wiring went fairly smoothly the school system sill hold a second NetDay, he said.
Kuno is convinced of the inevitability of computers in the classroom. He says doubters need only look around at their own jobs. When he began in inventory management 21 years ago, for example, everything was done with cards. Today, inventory records are computerized.
"Everything's going to computers. It's the future and the present," Kuno said.
Tracy Chamberlain, who works with ECSU's NASA/Network Resources and Training Site (NASA/NERTS), regarded her help at Sheep-Harney Elementary School as an investment in her three and a half year-old son's education.
"We live just down the street and he will probably attend this school," she said. "When my son comes in, I want him and other children to have the same opportunities he has at home."
Terri Rodriguez, an ARSC telecommunications specialist with a seventh-, nineth-, and eleventh-grader at home, shared Chamberlain's sentiments.
"I want the kids to be wired so they can have the opportunities they have at home," she said. "They say if it gets in class it will halp everyone.
"My son's been bringing home his friendes so they can get research off the Internet."
Sheep-Harney Principal Yvonne Walton said her students are very aware of the NetDay's purpose and how it will enhance their educations opportunities.