Me. Community Project. Future Career Ideas. Idk lol

[Scarcer]

Hello, just a story for people with time to spare...

I've been using GNU/Linux's like Fedora and Ubuntu for a good couple years now, but only recently have I become interested in becoming a power user of sorts.. Eventually including compiling, programming, and advanced networking.. etc..

This which is meant to help me experiment and advance and learn, to a possible career doing semi independent computing, networking, web development, etc, where I'll especially be pushing and advertising open source for clients... but I'm young and not sure where this will lead if anywhere, none the less its fun :P

... I'm just barely 20, and basically my current project is going to consist of confronting (with a friend) the small town high-school I left a year and a half ago to make some improvements to the crappy education system.. The principal is my neighbor.. which may help the situation and give me credibility to what I propose.

One of the many things I will be introducing is Linux (Likely an Ubuntu distro) to spice up the old outdated computers and provide more functionality and flexibility for the student experience...

A waste of time, or a fantastic idea? I dunno.

In part of doing this, I wish to be able to custom compile Ubuntu, or Kubuntu distro's with my own settings and preset interface, (to impress the administration..) and wrap it all up and put an iso on a CD that I can give them to use, and show as an example as how I could custom tailor an install and forget copy of linux that the school could quickly install and remove that already is preset with what ever they fancy... all for free, since this a learning experience for me.

Depending on how this goes, crash, or succeed, I'm going to gauge how a career in this area might turn out, or wither it's worth perusing.

I don't want to sit in a computer shop working just working on exclusively on computer parts, networking, or custom building websites the whole time. I need a career that involves working on custom projects and consists of a wide spectrum. From simple house computer maintenance (theres a lot of that, if you get enough local publicity).. to company networking, building, security, databasing and web development.

I already got Windows down to the ground, and I'm a self taught php writer, a friend is teaching me-actually pushing me to learn C++ (hey free education right?) So I'm attempting to become a jack of all trades, that knows enough (atleast) to work on a wide spectrum of technical related jobs, and can take open source material and get paid for my labor to custom setup and tailor for clients.

I really feel I have some innovative ideas..

I have 3 close people that are schooling for computer communications, programing etc, with many other contacts...

Any way, sorry for all the rambling and I hope I made sense.

These are some fresh ideas and I'm looking for thoughts, feedback and constructive criticism.

[Mr Bean]

I don't know how receptive the school would be to your idea.

They're unlikely to let someone come in and start changing their systems as some sort of hobby. But maybe they have a room full of outdated hardware that they're about to get rid of anyway that you could work on? You should ask for the opportunity to give that a new leash of life. Less risk for them, and just as much of a learning experience for you.

Maybe pitch it as though they could use your custom Linux distro to run an after-school Linux club. Maybe you could run it. That way you're not forcing them to think about changing the curriculum. (I'm not saying that changing the curriculum would be a bad idea - just that they'd never do it)

I have a pretty pessimistic feeling about the whole idea, but the worst they could do is say no so you might as well try.

[Scarcer]

Yeah, thats my thoughts. The administration at the school keeps raising expectations and and requirements to try and improve students performance, but thats not going to solve the issue. They fired the best teacher there at the end of his first year, because he went outside of his curriculum for the sake of the students initiative and learning experience, we were really doing some. He knowingly risked his job there, and it really irritated me that the school didn't appreciate what we were doing in that class.

It's an issue that the school system is dictated by adults that do what "they think is right," very little effort is put into getting the students opinions, and very few students are interested in helping out the school since they have no interest in the first place.

I have a feeling that I will be heard, since I'm a previous student, but don't know how receptive they will be of my suggestions and offers since they are all 'in charge.'

I have a feeling however that the current principal ( formaly a good teacher of mine ) will be rather receptive to begin with, how ever the school board could have any kind of reaction.

I'll have to be careful as how I come forth with my proposition.

[cariboo]

You would probably do more good if you get yourself elected to the school board. One of the previous mayors here was in his mid 20's when he got elected. He first got elected as an alderman when he was 22.

[juancarlospaco]

I think its ok...

[Scarcer]

Okay well I just got off the phone of a very respected and knowledgeable person. Rather than confronting the school up front and alienating the people in charge, I should volunteer to start a new after-school program working with computers, and various technology, or become an assistant and see if I can win the hearts of some of the staff one by one with what I'm doing.

See if I can 'empower' the staff.

I'd probably be ridiculed if I openly questioned the administration.

I also remembered that there is a brand new private school nearby. Unlike public education, they would be much more open to alternative methods and innovation, not to mention having a smaller budget.

[Mr Bean]

Okay well I just got off the phone of a very respected and knowledgeable person. Rather than confronting the school up front and alienating the people in charge, I should volunteer to start a new after-school program working with computers, and various technology, or become an assistant and see if I can win the hearts of some of the staff one by one with what I'm doing.

Indeed. You can't jump into a project like this with all guns blazing.

It will take years of proving yourself before they give you any real power. I'm not sure exactly how long you expect to be doing this, but you should probably keep that in mind.

[Scarcer]

Well right, it's not ALL about affecting the school system, it's all an experiment, and a learning experience for me. But if I do something right atleast, I'll be dang happy if I manage to help someone out.

It might be days, weeks, months, till I no longer can participate, or they kick me out for what ever reason.

It's their job, they know no better.