Winston Churchill Middle School, Carmichael, Calif. Students participating in this GenerationYes! program assist teachers with support needs ranging from software installation to the creation and implementation of content-specific lessons. Currently, 90 percent of the students in the program go into classrooms and teach their classmates about a specific subject using technology.

Tupelo Middle School, Tupelo, Miss. Tupelo Middle School (TMS) is part of C.R.E.A.T.E for Mississippi, and 56 of its students are leaders in the Excel Tech program. Students maintain and service computers for teachers, install software, ghost machines, set up new equipment for teachers, develop PowerPoint presentations, and work on special projects for the school. TMS will become a one-to-one student to computer school in 2010–2011. The Excel Tech classes will have a major role in setting up and maintaining these 1,140 student laptops.

Lower Eastside PS 515, New York, N.Y. The MOUSE Squad has 25 participants who routinely tutor their peers in the basics of computing and work in teams to provide custom professional development courses to faculty on evenings and weekends. Students provide technical support for their school and its assortment of handheld computers, mobile labs and standard equipment. Students use their technology skills to help design the school's yearbook cover and for detailed page design.

East Garner Magnet Middle School, Garner, N.C. Students serving on the Students Working to Advance Technology (SWAT) team teach fellow classmates about technology in computer labs, take part in community service projects including teaching library patrons to use Microsoft Office, designing Web sites for teachers, assisting teachers with Internet research, and videotaping news broadcasts. Through the program, students are gaining technology training and leadership skills, and valuable community service experience.

Parkway West High School, Philadelphia, Pa. With the support of the Urban Technology Project, approximately 80 10th grade students serve as "Guides by the Side." Student experts are trained to provide project-based digital media support in kindergarten through eighth grade classrooms, including developing lesson plans, providing in-class support, working one-on-one with students in the areas of literacy, math and reading, and creating "legacy projects" to address community and school technology needs, such as tech manuals for teachers and school Web sites.

Forest Park High School, Woodbridge, Va. The VA Star program offers students a fully integrated service-learning model including a rich IT curriculum, hands-on training to refurbish and recycle used computers, and a full spectrum of community service opportunities to meet the IT needs of the school's community.

Microsoft and the Corporation for National and Community Service are working together "in meaningful ways to revitalize learning, schools, and communities through the use of technology." Above is the list of six schools and their projects. The initiatives look good and appear to be worthwhile learning experiences for students, but they're also all focused internally on tech needs and community service WITHIN the school system. It would have been nice if at least a couple of these were focused on community needs OUTSIDE of the school system instead...

This is not a big critique. What they're doing looks like good stuff. Just a suggestion for the next round!