Undergraduate Internet evangelists stand proudly behind their newly hatched Webmasters. Standing (from left) are Web veterans Brian Rosenthal '00, Jason Bressner '99, Alex Katsov '00, Michael Saji '02, and Cameron Kinloch '00. Sitting are Web newcomers Charles White, Jasmine Sung, and Dorothy Flynn. Photo by Marc Halevi.

Amid recent academic discussions about the growing gap between technological haves and have-nots, a group of Harvard students are making a difference.

In a day when computer skills are expected for a growing number of jobs, those without such skills find themselves at a competitive -- and critical -- disadvantage. Recently, two undergraduates who were challenged rather than daunted by this technological disparity, Brian J. Rosenthal '00 and Jason E. Bressner '99, sought to take action.

Back in October, Rosenthal and Bressner began offering free classes in Web design to help usher urban communities to the forefront of the information age. They hoped to find a way to promote computer skills in an enjoyable and interactive fashion. "Technological proficiency," says Rosenthal, "is becoming a more and more critical prerequisite to being able to think creatively in modern society."

The first class began this past February, at the South End Technology Center, an open-access computer lab located at Tent City, a mixed-income housing complex in Copley Square, Boston. Its director, Mel King, is an active community member and champion of the philosophy and practice of inclusion for all. King, who had recently completed his tenure as chief executive of the Boston Urban League, helped to found the Center. King has also worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for 25 years as adjunct professor of urban studies and planning as well as the director of the Community Fellows Program. Along with other members of the South End community, King welcomed the new class to the Center.

At the completion of the 10-week course, students possess skills in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and Photoshop, a graphics program, to enter the computer industry as Web developers if they are so inclined. Cameron Kinloch '00, business director for InterCity, says that it is a challenge to ensure that the curriculum adapts with the industry in a job market with rapidly changing technological demands.

Over the duration of the course, the enrollment in the class diminished somewhat as the necessities of maintaining family and work proved difficult for some to manage. But those who stayed persevered and even chose to extend the course two additional weeks. During these last weeks, the students undertook final projects that integrated all the subject matter covered in the course.

On Thursday, May 6, the students presented their projects to an audience of 25 people, including local computer companies who came to witness their accomplishments. The visitors got to see student-designed Websites, including a site aimed at increasing awareness about the imprisonment of Mzwakhe Mbuli, a South African poet and musician.

Classes were taught by Hau Luc 00, who directed teaching and the development of curriculum, Michael Saji '02, Bressner, and Rosenthal. The secret to the successes of their students, says Bressner, is the emphasis on forming strong personal relationships between students and teachers; teachers must not merely teach the material, he emphasizes, but serve as encouraging and supportive guides as well, helping to allow students' imaginations to roam free.

Sessions were conducted on Monday and Wednesday nights as well as Saturday afternoons, which meant plenty of commuting for the student teachers while simultaneously balancing busy courseloads. But the results have been very promising. Rosenthal has created a student group at Harvard called InterCity, whose goal is to explore the relationship between technological advancement and community development. Bressner has big plans to pursue this effort beyond graduation. Under the name CyberTrain, he has already begun to expand the educational program across Boston. He has developed a summer program consisting of 10 classes across three technology centers in Boston. Additionally, four other sites have expressed an interest in this class.