Baltimore Digital Village

Since the Baltimore Digital Village was launched in 2001 with a $5 million HP grant to the East Baltimore Empowerment Zone, the program has enhanced education, spurred entrepreneurship and job creation, and strengthened community relations through a thriving "e-living" culture that integrates HP technology in schools, local businesses and the community at large.

HP began this endeavor by listening to the community and together developing an innovative and sustainable approach to address the community's needs through the use of HP technology.

Baltimore Digital Village achievements include:

Entrepreneurial spirit and job creation through BDV@Work

The Small Business Development Initiative provides local business owners and entrepreneurs with professional development training, business planning assistance, and a state-of-the-art technology package for their own business. Thirty-five local entrepreneurs graduated from this five-week skills program.

To promote job placement, 50 residents graduated from various information technology (IT) training programs offered by Baltimore Digital Village organizations such as Space Hope and the Maryland Center for Arts & Technology. Enhanced IT training programs have resulted in residents receiving Cisco and/or A+ certification. Thirty of the graduates have secured employment in the IT departments of several local businesses.

Neighborhood computer access through BDV@Community

A residential access program provided 300 families with their own home PC and printer. Each recipient participated in basic computer skills training to learn how to effectively use the technology to access relevant information and unearth new opportunities for themselves, their families and their neighbors.

For residents of all ages, six technology centers are located throughout the community to enable access to the Internet, computer skills workshops and job training. The newly developed community portal provides residents information about employment opportunities, health and childcare assistance.

Improved student achievement through BDV@School

One hundred and eighty-five teachers from the Baltimore City Public School System have integrated computer-based curriculums in their classrooms. The teachers received HP notebook PCs, 400 student desktop PCs and training on how to effectively leverage the technology to improve student achievement. As a result of their participation in the Baltimore Digital Village, five local schools are now up to state standards for technology integration.

Several of the schools have witnessed an immediate transformation of students' interest and participation in math and science. Students used the technology to create school science fair projects; five students qualified for state-level competition, making them eligible for college scholarships.