Dear Friends of Education and Technology:

Five years ago on March 9, 1996, a revolution in education technology was born - it was NetDay's first "electronic barn-raising" event where volunteers spent the day wiring schools in California for the Internet. The goal was simple: to wire all of California's schools so that students could access the World Wide Web as part of their education. Over 50,000 volunteers, including elected officials, business leaders, educators, union workers, and community organizers, spent the day side by side wiring schools, classrooms, and libraries to the Internet. Volunteers brought donuts, home workshop tools, donated cabling and an undaunted spirit to their neighborhood schools. Their accomplishments were remarkable - a quarter of the schools in the state were wired in just one day.

At the center of this education revolution was partnership: schools and communities, parents and teachers, business leaders and school leaders investing time, energy, and expertise to provide children with greater access to education opportunities through technology. The NetDay volunteers shared a common belief that the Internet provided opportunities to enhance education for all children, regardless of race, gender, cultural heritage or economic status.

The challenges in 1996 were different than those that our schools face today. Back then, only 14% of our nation's schools were connected to the Internet, and the costs of bridging that connectivity gap - in terms of time, energy, and expertise - were insurmountable for most schools. Over the past five years, we have made significant improvements - today, over 95% of our nation's schools have access to the Internet, and 63% of classrooms are wired. These dramatic improvements, resulting from community partnerships, state and federal governmental investment, and nonprofit organization involvement, reflect our nation's commitment to technology as a means of improving education.

Today, NetDay is still driven by a mission to connect every child to a brighter future, whether it's by supporting school wiring days, providing concrete guidance on technology planning and integration, or developing professional development programs to help teachers embrace technology. Our "real legacy" is best told by individuals who shared this vision and made "NetDay" happen in communities all across America. The stories that we have collected for this report are stories of determination and resourcefulness that show that the real power of change occurs when people with a common goal work together. In the case of NetDay, this teamwork reflects a commitment to improving education opportunities for our children.

In this report, Five Years of Connections, we have collected stories from the parents, teachers, business owners and state organizers who were involved in NetDay efforts to show the depth and breadth of their commitment to education. This report highlights different models of school-community involvement that are relevant today as schools face the evolving challenges of meaningfully integrating technology into instruction. As we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the first NetDay wiring event, we are proud to dedicate this collection of stories to all of the volunteers who have made and continue to make a difference for children and their futures.

Sincerely yours,



Julie Evans
Chief Executive Officer
NetDay