Technology Access Foundation Awarded grant to continue publish magazine run by teens of color.

SEATTLE, WA - February 26, 2003 Technology Access Foundation (TAF) is pleased to announce that the Boeing Employees Community Fund has awarded a $12,000 grant to TAF, supporting the production of the 206 Insider magazine (a magazine created for teens, by teens).

In the summer of 2002, TAF launched the 206 Insider with eight fulltime teen students and two teenage contributing writers. The magazine team members were all teens of color, from South and Central Seattle. The students spent seven weeks, working with instructors and volunteers to learn interviewing techniques, journalistic writing, graphic design and print publishing.  In addition to providing journalistic and web development experience, the program provides workforce development, job skills training and interpersonal communication techniques.

The students researched and wrote articles and prepared a layout for the first 206 Insider magazine. The first publication included articles about teen pregnancy, an interview with Ron Sims, and a look at the odds of making it in the NBA. Boeing Community Relations provided pro-bono printing for 5000 copies of the magazine. Copies of the magazine can be picked up in South end high schools and the Columbia City Starbucks, located at Rainier and S. Edmunds or by calling TAF at 206.725.9095.

The grant from the Boeing Employees Community Fund will allow TAF students to continue to produce the quarterly print magazine through 2003 and to create a 206 Insider Webzine. The Webzine will allow students to reach a broader audience, while honing their web development techniques.

Production on the next issues of the 206 Insider has already started and teen submissions are now being accepted. Recruitment of TAF students is currently underway and we are looking for teens of color to participate in the magazine production program. Teens interested in participating in the program should go to www.techaccess.org  and click on the TTIP Applications Available" link. All the information a teen needs to apply for the program is in the online application. The deadline for completed applications is May 1, 2003. Additionally, teens interested in seeing their photography, illustrations, articles or poetry in print or on the web, should submit material to the Program Manager, Nevdon Jamgochian at nevdonj@techaccess.org.

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About Technology Access Foundation (TAF)
TAF is a non-profit foundation with a six-year track record of successfully delivering free technical and workforce development training to Seattles low-income communities of color. TAFs Technical Teen Internship Program (TTIP) is a four-year, after-school, technology-training program. Throughout their high school careers, students attend classes six hours each week for eight months of the year. The intensive program offers four tracks: web development; network engineering; media production and programming. Each year builds on the skills learned during the previous year. For every year a TTIP student successfully completes the training and the internship, he/she is awarded a $1,000 scholarship for higher education. Learn more about TAF at www.techaccess.org.

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About The Boeing Employees Community Fund
The Boeing Employees Community Fund is the largest employee-owned charitable organization in the world. Employees manage the funds and choose the community organizations that receive help. The employees make donations to support programs in their neighborhoods, thereby supporting local efforts and advancement.