On Monday, I'll be participating in a press conference where the City of Austin will be announcing the 2008 selections for the Grant for Technology Opportunities program.

Here is the press release:

Austin City Council Member Brewster McCracken and members of the Austin Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission will present the 2008 Grant for Technology Opportunities Program Awards at an announcement ceremony on Monday, April 21, at Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second St.

Ten winning projects will receive GTOPs funding for connecting citizens with information technology, computers and the Internet.

"GTOPs enables local organizations to leverage technology in novel ways," said Commission Chair Chip Rosenthal. "Its achievements are remarkable, and a tribute to the innovation and community spirit of Austin."

Some of the projects include introducing at-risk youth to rocketry, robotics, aquatic ecology and solar energy; providing adults with disabilities specialized computer work stations to assist in finding employment opportunities online; and offering bilingual computer training to non-native English speaking families.

The GTOPs program was designed by the Austin Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission to support digital technology projects that benefit our community. For more information, visit www.gtops.org.

GTOPs Awards Presentation
Monday, April 21, 2008
2 p.m.
Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second Street
News Conference Room