Discussions

Your Name and Title: Kelechi Edozie-Anyadiegwu, Founder

School, Library, or Organization Name: JELYPals

Co-Presenter Name(s):

Country from Which You Will Present: United States

Language in Which You Will Present: English

Target Audience (such as primary school teachers, high school administrators, students, etc.): Teachers, administrators

Short Session Description (one line): JELYPals is an online pen pal system that seeks to to tackle the negative perceptions Africans and Afro-Americans have of each other.

Full Session Description (one paragraph minimum):

JELYPals is a social venture that seeks to tackle the negative perceptions Africans and Afro-Americans have of each other. By creating an online pen pal system, we are pushing the conventions of traditional pen palling by integrating web 2.0 technologies and designing a system to contextually fit for the needs of African and Afro-American communities. JELYPals is an opportunity not only to negate formerly held stereotypes but also an opportunity to increase digital literacy and language literacy in a fun and engaging way.

JELYPals was founded to address the ever-growing divide between Africans and Afro-Americans. We at JELYPals have strong ties to both communities and recognize that as people of African descent we are a part of the same struggle. We are bound by the same history and disproportionately impacted by poverty, crime and disease. Nonetheless, we believe firmly in the power of youth, the potential of Africa and its diaspora and the possibility of change.

Founded on the three simple tenets of cross-cultural awareness, digital proficiency and English literacy, JELYPals seeks to deepen the ties among youth of African descent, build valuable technological skills and drastically improve English reading and writing competence. In communities where access to technological programming is dearth, JELYPals is an opportunity for youth to improve reading and writing skills while integrating themselves into a digital environment.  We see JELYPals not only as an online tool, but also as a window into the realm of new possibilities.  JELYPals combine’s educational objectives of digital storytelling and English literacy in a way that is fun and engaging for youth, while breaking down formerly held stereotypes. JELYPals seeks to build the capacity of African and Afro-American youth by forging new relationships and increasing access to technological and educational resources, while facilitating relationship building. By designing JELYPals for use in educational/classroom settings and targeting youth in the 4th through 8th grades, we hope to groom young leaders who are confident, committed to social change and possess a broad and unique understanding of the world. 

In this session I will talk about what me and my team are doing to build capacity in communities often left behind in the educational technology debate. Using our innovative system that we are building from scratch we aim to bridge the divide between two groups that technology is often not designed for. By using methods in the field of user experience and incorporating contextual design, we hope to create a system that fits the unique and contextual needs of these users. I will also talk about how our unique programs is a blend of several educational concepts designed for a niche market and the importance of bridging the intercultural divide amongst the black diaspora. 

Websites / URLs Associated with Your Session: www.jelypals.org