Pike Central opens student help desk

STAFF WRITER

Teens at Pike County Central High School are getting real world experience by managing the nation's first student-run Technology Help Desk.

According to Jane Branham, the administrator, eligible students must apply to enroll in the help desk class, which meets for one period during the day. If accepted into the course, a contract outlining responsibilities is signed by the student and his or her parents. The student then takes on the role of a "staff member," and is treated as an employee.

Student staff members are expected to maintain professionalism while assisting with technology-associated problems, and are evaluated "as any employee would be in any business," according to the contractual agreement.

It's a lot of responsibility, said Branham, and it's a wonderful experience for the students. "I've seen what a difference it makes," she said.

The help desk is set up similarly to those in many organizations. Each school within the district has a teacher who is appointed to be the STC, or School Technology Coordinator. When there is a computer or computer-related problem, the STC contacts the Help Desk, Branham explained.

This contact can be made either by e-mail, fax, over the phone, or through the program's Web site. Problems are addressed by student staff members in one of two ways. They can either help to solve the problem over the phone or by e-mail, or they can place a work order, said Branham. The work orders are sent to technicians employed by the district, who go out and take care of the problem. According to Marrita Clark, the director of technology, there are now eight technicians on staff who help to fulfill work orders.

The help desk provides service to the county's 34 sites, which include the high schools and elementary schools, vocational schools, adult education centers, and the Pikeville Board of Education. Student staff members assist with problems related to teacher and student e-mail, and the Learning Village Web site, which is a site used by teachers throughout the district to assist with lesson plans and design class Web sites, Branham said.

Student staff members also help to oversee the district equipment, including servers, laptops, desktops, printers, and wireless carts. Wireless carts are mobile carts that hold 20 wireless laptops that can be moved from classroom to classroom.

Through this class, student staff members receive training in areas of business, which according to the contractual agreement includes, "written and oral communication skills, telephone skills, utilization of databases, word processors, electronic e-mail, etc."

Since the program started in 1998, the help desk has received more than 50,000 calls, according to program materials. Due to the popularity of the program at the high school, additional help desk classes have been added at other Pike County high schools. These help desks assist with in-house computer related issues, and report directly to the help desk at Pike County Central, Branham said.

Branham also added that the help desk has generated interest from schools around the nation. She recalled being contacted by an individual in New York who wanted to learn more about the advancements at Pike County Central. In past years, students also had the opportunity to present at the Technology and Learning Conference in Louisville, according to Branham.

The technological advancements at the high school continue to serve as a model, and according to both Clark and Branham, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Staff are continuing to develop new and innovative ways to enhance learning, and according to Branham, everyone on staff knows their job and is motivated to it.

"We've got a great team," Clark added.

Staff writer Jodi Turner can be reached via e-mail at jturner@news-expressky.com.