INFO-BYTES A Quarterly Newsletter

Community Computer Day SUMMER 2009

On Saturday May 30, Byte Back staff and volunteers joined together to put
on our Third Annual Community Computer Day. Over the course of the day,
HIGHLIGHTS
dozens of individuals came from all over the city to sample what Byte Back
has to offer. Byte Back offered free refreshments and workshops on topics Strategic Goals for 2
such as Basic Computer Hardware, Your Child's Safety on the Internet, Home Fiscal Year 2010
Computer Maintenance, Online Job Hunting, and Microsoft Office Track Sam-
pler. Our PC Hardware workshop was so well attended that it was standing Director’s Corner 3
room only! Thanks to a group of eight high school students from Operation
FLY, we were able to offer personalized, one on one instruction in many cases. Summer Youth Bring 4
“It was such a thrill to go into our downstairs classroom and see the room New Ideas to Byte Back
filled with students and individual instructors,” said Kelley Ellsworth, Executive
Director. The one on one instruction allowed students to ask their instructors a Byte Back Success Story 5
wide variety of questions. Featured on Fox 5
In the early afternoon, Clown Judy and Clown Gary arrived to add to the Internet For Everyone 5
festivities. They entertained the youth and even some adults with their antics,
and then walked around downtown Brookland in their giant clown shoes publi- 6
Who Are Our Students?
cizing the event.
Best of all, many new students took advantage of on-the-spot registration Fannie Mae Walkathon 7
and signed up for computer courses such as PC for Beginners and Office
Track. Upcoming Events 8&9
The day culminated in a celebration of our cherished volunteers. Each volun-
teer received a certificate of appreciation and a large canvas bag filled Fall/Winter 2009 10
with Byte Back goodies. CLASS SCHEDULE
 STRATEGIC GOALS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010
VISION AND MISSION
STATEMENTS On May 15, the the Board of Directors will move from
Byte Back Board of meeting every month to meeting every
VISION Directors spent the second month. Board meetings will be held
To be recognized as the premier full day discussing on the third Thursday of every second
source of affordable computer and planning for the month.
training and employment education current fiscal year, The Board discussed and prioritized the
for residents of the Washington which began July 1,
future tasks of each committee. The
Metropolitan area. 2009 and ends June
Fundraising/Revenue Committee’s top
30, 2010. The
priorities are to plan for a large gala
MISSION retreat was facilitated by Pedro Aviles, a fundraiser – something that has never
To improve economic opportunity by consultant and former Director of several
been done at Byte Back before – followed
providing computer training and large nonprofit organizations. by the need to further balance revenue
employment readiness skills to low- In the weeks before the retreat, Mr. Aviles streams and to expand earned revenues.
income residents of the Washington
took the time to interview board members The Program Committee’s top priorities
Metropolitan area.
and staff to conduct a SWOT analysis are to initiate our certification classes,
(inquiring about Byte Back’s strengths, followed by assessing the training needs
weaknesses, opportunities and threats). of specific computer-related occupations.
During the first portion of the retreat, Mr. The Marketing/Partnerships/Outreach
BYTE BACK Aviles presented his findings for discussion. Committee’s top priorities are to revamp
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Items discussed were mission and vision, our website and to create relationships
partnerships and programs, leadership with symbiotic nonprofits and businesses
Chair and organizational structure, systems and that can offer jobs for our students. This
Jewel T. Scott procedures, and volunteer retention. committee will also be working to establish
Dean & Co. relationships with area universities as
The remainder of the meeting was spent
Vice Chair sources of volunteers, and to research the
devising goals for the upcoming year and
Meheret Mellese option of Byte Back serving as a sort of
prioritizing tasks.
Global Fund for Children temp agency. The Governance
Treasurer Committee’s top priorities are to update
Sean Hanover the board contract and to strengthen the
Byte Back’s goals for FY10 are: committee. The Finance Committee’s top
HHC, Inc.
• Fundraising: Diversify revenue priority is to secure a firm to audit our
Secretary
streams AND increase annual FY09 finances.
Kathryn Barker Canary
Quadel Consulting r evenue (for FY 10 ) to If you are interested in joining the Board
$525,589, or by 13% of Directors, or a Board Committee, please
Peter Balazy contact Peter Balazy, Chair of the
SRA International • Partnerships: Proactively Governance Committee, at
Tony Barrett
estab lis h new s tr ateg ic email@peterbalazy.com or Byte Back
DBTS Incorporated partnerships with corporate, Executive Director Kelley Ellsworth at
higher learning, and symbiotic kellsworth@byteback.org.
Kristen Carson-Owens
Greater DC Cares non-profit organizations
Steve Delahunty • Board Governance:
Booz Allen Hamilton Strengthen board of directors
Jerryl Guy • Outreach/Marketing: Design
Whitman Walker Clinic
and execute an outreach and
Emily Monahan marketing plan
Green Door
T.K. Mukherjee
• Programs: Review existing
Optimos, Inc. curriculum and develop new
curriculum to respond to
Julius Ware
Ward 7 Business & Professional students’ needs and the
Association market
Ex-Officio
Charlie Snow The committees for FY10 will be as
Kelley Ellsworth follows: Executive, Fundraising/Revenue,
Byte Back Executive Director Programs, Marketing/Partnerships/
Outreach, Governance, and Finance (which
will include the Ad Hoc Audit
Subcommittee). Committees may consist of
both Board Members and non-board
members. Beginning in September 2009,
2

DIRECTOR’S CORNER
Kelley Ellsworth, Executive Director
WALKING THE RECESSION
TIGHTROPE
This March, I attended a meeting of nonprofit leaders to discuss
how we were being affected by the recession. One by one,
each told of the measures they were taking to keep their or-
ganizations afloat, such as layoffs, cutbacks and furloughs. As I
listened, I began to panic. I had not even contemplated such
measures yet! In fact, I had just HIRED a new staff member in
January. By the end of the meeting, I was literally in tears at the
thought that I might have to lay off or furlough my beloved co-
workers.
Seven months earlier, Byte Back had passed an absurdly opti-
mistic budget, projecting an increase in revenues of 61%. The
Board of Directors was hoping that our expanded services and
greatly improved outcome measures would convince funders
and donors to increase their gifts to Byte Back. On that day in
March, that goal looked like pie in the sky to me.
Still, I hoped that the recession might provide a kind of opportu-
nity for Byte Back. I hoped that others might see that job train-
ing is an essential activity during a recession. As Albert Einstein
said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.”
Byte Back has a long history of being cost effective, since all our
instructors are volunteers. Thankfully, the salaries of our two
receptionists and our clerk were paid for by a program through
the Department of Employment Services. For the first few months
after I was hired as Executive Director (in October 2008), I had
chosen not to take my $60,000 salary, but rather, to work for
$100 per week until I felt we had sufficient resources. Even af-
ter we got a windfall of grants in late December, we tried to
pinch pennies where we could. Over the holidays, when Byte
Back was under renovation, we had twenty-five volunteers
spend a day painting our building. Community Forklift donated
new carpet tiles for the basement classroom and Canal Group
builders donated a significant amount of labor and supplies.
After the meeting in March, I began to think more conservatively
about our expenditures, seeking ways that Byte Back could ex-
pand our services to meet increased demand without exces-
sively increasing our expenses. We applied for several Ameri-
corps volunteers, applied to serve as a Summer Youth Employ-
ment site, and sought donations of in-kind services. I began fe-
verishly seeking any funding opportunity I could find. By the end
of the fiscal year, we had submitted 43 grant proposals.
Our fiscal year ended June 30 and our preliminary numbers
are in. Thanks to generous support from individual donors, foun-
dations, businesses and the DC government, Byte Back was able
to increase our total revenues this year by 89%! (Our cash
revenues increased by 48% and our in-kind revenues increased
by 591%.) We are so very grateful that our supporters saw the
vital role we play in providing job training during this challeng-
ing recession.
With these added resources, Byte Back was able to renovate
our building, effectively doubling our classroom space and in-
creasing our job training enrollment by 222%. During that time,
we also increased the total number of students served by
33% ).
During the month of August, we made calls to our Office Track
graduates to inquire about changes in their employment, income
and quality of life. In the middle of the worst recession in dec-
ades, 35% of students who completed the Office Track pro-
gram while unemployed were able to find employment, and
86% of these newly employed students directly credited Byte
Back with helping them secure employment. In addition, of those
students who did not complete the program, 20% ”jobbed out,”
meaning that the reason they did not graduate was that they
found a job before they even completed the program.
So where do we go from here? Economists are predicting that
the unemployment rate will continue to rise until early- to mid-
2010. The unemployment rate in the District was 10.9% in June,
2009. However, this figure does not tell the whole story. Unem-
ployment is far higher in the wards where most of our students
live: Ward Eight
(27.5%), Ward Seven
(18.9%) and Ward
Five (15%). It is likely
that the demand for
our classes will con-
tinue to grow over the
next 12 months.
Byte Back is poised to
respond quickly and
nimbly to changes in
the economy and in
the needs of our stu-
dents. We have re-
newed our partnership
with Catholic Charities
and have a new part-
nership with Academy of Hope. This fall we will begin teaching
Office Track in three locations, which will enable us to provide
job training to a much large number of students. We are dis-
cussing a job training contract with the Department of Human
Services, which will provide consistent revenue to support this
expansion. We are working with the DC Chief Technology Offi-
cer on a proposal for stimulus funds to greatly expand our
Computer Literacy training through a partnership with the DC
Public Library. We are partnering with Howard University to
begin a certification program this fall. Lastly, we are applying
for funds from technology corporations (Lockheed Martin, Hew-
lett-Packard, Comcast, Intel, Microsoft, Oracle, IBM and Dell) to
re-start our Internship program, which trains students for entry
level IT occupations.
It is my fervent hope that our revenues will continue to increase
in order to support expanded services. However, I worry that
funders may pass over Byte Back in favor of funding organiza-
tions which are in financial crisis. For this reason, Byte Back is
being very cautious about spending funds and hiring staff, in
case the funding picture gets worse. We hired 14 youth this
summer through the District’s Summer Youth Employment Pro-
gram. These youth worked with adult volunteers, helped us de-
sign our new website, created a social networking presence for
Byte Back, updated our curriculum, compiled data for our An-
nual Report, and worked on a promotional video. We applied
for and received two full-time Americorps volunteers to teach
daytime classes beginning in August. These added positions
should allow us to greatly expand our daytime classes.
3
SUMMER YOUTH BRING NEW
IDEAS TO BYTE BACK
This summer, fourteen young people joined Byte Back’s staff
through the District’s Summer Youth Employment Program. These
youth workers, ages 16-21, spent the first two weeks enrolled in
our Office Track IMPACT (Introduction to Microsoft Programs and
Computers for Teens) Program, in which they learned Microsoft
Word, Excel and PowerPoint. They spent their third week redes-
igning the curriculum and beginning their independent projects,
which included designing the architecture of our new website,
writing and laying out our summer newsletter, updating and cre-
ating new curricula, building our Social Networking sites, re-
searching fundraising initiatives, and analyzing demographic and
outcome data. The program culminated with the youth teaching
two intensive Office Track courses: one for youth and one for
adults, using the newly designed curriculum. Below, Sarah King,
one of our summer youth workers describes her experiences at
Byte Back.

Working With Byte Back for the Summer

By Sarah King
This summer has been interesting, to say the least. As a Summer
Youth Employee working at Byte Back, my concern before the job
even started was my actual duties. I chose to work with this site
because my main focus was in graphic design and computers.
The first day I was introduced to a friendly staff that told me the
mission and purpose of Byte Back. I quickly learned of the non-
profit company's goal of spreading computer knowledge to un-
derprivileged individuals. Basically they were giving everyone a
fighting chance. The computer and job training they offered I had such a wide variety of projects and tasks to complete. I was
helped so many people find jobs. I felt honored to know that I not only surprised but interested with the work that was given to
would be helping with their mission this summer. us. In my time here I’ve done everything from graphic design,
video production, data input, writing, teaching, and marketing.
At first the summer started off pretty slow. My coworkers and I This is possibly one of the best sites I could have worked with.
had to go through training which was tedious. However, we Byte Back has been a blessing to my resume and given me so
knew that it was necessary to know the information so that we much experience.
could pass it on. Once we finished our training, then we became
busy. Byte Back's program is amazing with their efforts of aiding those
who are underprivileged in our community. I'm proud to say that
There was never a moment when I did not have something to do. I have worked with this beneficial program.

SUCCESS STORY: ALICE WRIGHT

Alice Wright is a 60 year old African-American with a
high school diploma. When she came to Byte Back, she
was unemployed, living in an emergency shelter in Ward 6
and trying to survive on an annual income of under
$3,000.
Alice completed the Office Track course with a Word
score of 86% and an Excel score of 80%. Alice says, “I
enjoyed taking the class and learned so much about the
use of the computer.” She is now working as a sales
representative at Aflac, earning $40,000 per year!
Alice not only dramatically increased her income, she also
gained confidence and the opportunity to perform
dignified work. She says, “I now feel confident using my
new skills... in my new job at Aflac.” On a scale of 1-5,
with 5 being the highest, Alice gives her new job a “5.”

4
BYTE BACK SUCCESS STORY INTERNET FOR EVERYONE
FEATURED ON FOX 5 Imagine a world where
everyone in our country is able
Byte Back graduate Calvin to access a fast and
Butler was interviewed by affordable broadband
reporter Melanie Alnwick for connection. A place where
a Fox 5 Money segment there are gateways that open
which aired Thursday, July 2. up new doors and
Butler had been unemployed opportunities. Instead of
before coming to Byte Back. relying on public computers,
“[Being unemployed] was you are able to get
broadband in your own home.
painful, very painful and
Having fast internet available
challenging,” Butler said. "I knew I couldn't just lay around, so I
developed a routine. I went to the internet, I went to the library, I whenever you want it allows
you to do everyday tasks
found a training program.”
faster (like paying your bills
Butler enrolled in Byte Back’s 12-week Office Track program. By online).
the time the program ended on June 25, he had already found
InternetForEveryone.org is an
employment. He now works as a case manager at Federal City
organization is working to
Recovery Services.
pr o mo t e a quick a n d
At Byte Back, Calvin Butler not only learned computer skills. He reasonably-priced broadband
also learned how to find a job, get a job, and hold onto a job. connection for everyone in
Byte Back’s Job Coordinator, Terrell Waller, worked with Butler in America. Their view is that “As the Internet has become a
the classroom and one on one. critical part of our daily lives, it is clear that everyone in America
“People have to best know how to market themselves,” said must have access to play a part in our economy and democracy.”
Waller, who was also interviewed on Fox 5. “What tangible skills This winter, Free Press reporter Megan Tady came to
do I have to market? How do I get that information out to the Washington to conduct interviews about this national initiative to
general public.” bring fast, affordable and open Internet to all.
“Feels good,” said Butler as he sat at his new desk. “Feels “We are isolated individuals without the internet – isolated and
wonderful, actually, absolutely wonderful.” uninformed,” said Debony Heart, Director of Programs at Byte
Back. Those without access lose out on important opportunities.
It’s not enough anymore to have dial-up. Many websites today
To see the full interview, go to: demand high-speed internet.
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/money/070209_fox_5_money_job_search_for_unemployed
Access is about more than information – it is about employment
as well. In June 2009, the unemployment rate in the District
reached 10.9%. “They say the economy’s in trouble,” said Heart.
“I see broadband access as a solution.”
Tips for finding employment: According to InternetForEveryone, almost half of our nation is not
• Identify your contacts. These are people who know and connected to the internet or using dial up. With the recession
respect what you do hitting our country hard, Americans need internet. Everyone
should be able to have access to the resources that can make
• Seek associations and organizations that will help you them successful. It is unfair to those who can not afford high
network speed internet. InternetForEveryone is working to fix that
problem, and has Byte Back's full support.
• Tailor and streamline your resume, and don't wait till it's
too late “Let’s do it. That is what would be my message to Barack
Obama,” concluded Heart. “We have the technology to do that
• Be patient and persistent and a whole lot more. Let’s do it.”

Byte Back Director of Programs Debony Heart Addresses DC Area Organizations

This spring, the DC Women’s Agenda and the DC Employment Justice Center sponsored an event featuring representatives
from seven free job training programs. One of these programs was Byte Back. Debony Heart, Director of Programs, talked
of the constant evolution of technology in jobs today and how there is a demand of certain skills that come along with them.
She also discussed how computer skills are needed more than ever today. More than 60 people attended this event.

5
WHO ARE OUR STUDENTS?
Our fiscal year ended on June 30, 2009. Since then we have
been taking a careful look at our demographic data for the
year. During FY09, 442 students took 527 classes, a 33% in-
crease in students and a 19% increase in course enrollment over
FY08. The enrollment in each class was
as follows: 307 students in PC for Begin-
ners, 145 in Office Track, 45 in begin-
ning classes such as Email/Internet,
Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and 30 in
intermediate classes such as HTML1 & 2,
PC Hardware and QuickBooks.
The majority (62%) of our students were
female, most (78%) were African-
American and the remainder were Afri-
can (13%), Hispanic (3%), Caucasian
(3%), Asian (1%) or Other (3%). While
the majority of Byte Back students
(76%) were born in the United States, a
sizable number (24%) were born in
another country. In fact, Byte Back stu-
dents come from a total of 28 different
nations.
Students of all ages come to Byte Back
to learn about computers, from ages 14
-24 (14%) to 25-44 (33%) to 45-54
(31%) to 55 and over (22%). The me-
dian age of our students is 46 years
old.
Byte Back serves those individuals who
are living within 200% of the Federal
Poverty Level, based upon household
size. However, most of our students earn
far less. The majority of our students
(73%) are unemployed when they come
to Byte Back. Some are temporarily or
permanently unavailable for work due
to having young children at home (5%),
disability (8%), retirement (5%) or be-
cause they are recovering from an ill-
ness or injury (7%), but 76% are willing,
able and ready to work. Those who are employed when they
come to Byte Back earn an average of $10.43 per hour and
work an average of 33 hours per week, amounting to $17,692
per year.
OFFICE TRACK GRADUATE RECEIVES SPECIAL RECOGNITION
On June 25, 14 students completed our spring Office Track program, consisting of two different courses – one in the
mornings and one in the evenings. Each student presented their PowerPoint project for the class, and then received their
certificates of completion. All Office Track graduates are eligible to receive a free, refurbished computer thanks to a
partnership with First Time Computers, but one very special student, Tyrone Young, was presented with a refurbished Sony
VAIO laptop computer in acknowledgement of his extraordinary achievements during the class. Congratulations Tyrone!
6
Those Byte Back students who indicated that they are receiving
benefits stated that they were receiving Food Stamps (35%),
SSI (29%), SSDI (14%), TANF (13%) and Unemployment Insur-
ance (9%).
The majority (69%) of Byte Back students
are either homeless or near homeless.
Most of our students (58%) are living tem-
porarily with friends or family, while oth-
ers live in emergency shelters (5%), transi-
tional housing (4%), or in group homes
(2%).
Byte Back students come from all over the
Metropolitan Washington area, but most
reside in the District of Columbia. Of those
who live in DC, the majority (56%) come
from the most disadvantaged wards in our
city: Ward Five (25%), Ward Eight (20%)
and Ward Seven (11%).
Many might be surprised to hear that the
vast majority of our students (91%) have
at least a high school degree (45%) or
equivalent (11%), while others have gone
as far as taking some college courses
(7%), earning their Associates Degree
(16%), a bachelors degree (10%) or even
a graduate degree (2%). What they all
have in common is the need to add the
knowledge of computers to their other
qualifications in order to improve their
quality of life and/or income level.
When asked about their career goals,
most (59%) stated that they need to get a
job, while a substantial number said they
wanted to change jobs (18%) or update
their skills (16%). Others said their key
goal was to obtain a promotion (4%) or
said they did not have a goal (3%).
When asked about their educational
goals, most students said their top goal
was either to obtain job skills (42%) or for
self improvement (23%). A significant number expressed a de-
sire to obtain certification (16%). Others had their eye on
higher education, either an associates degree (6%), a bachelors
degree (8%) or a graduate degree (4%).
FEATURED UPCOMING EVENT - FANNIE MAE WALKATHON
On Saturday November 21,
Byte Back will be partici-
pating in the 22nd Annual
Fannie Mae Help the Home-
less Walkathon as an or-
ganization working to pre-
vent and end homelessness.
Please join us in this impor-
tant activity, and bring
some friends!
This is a great chance to help raise awareness about the issue of
homelessness, network with other concerned individuals and or-
ganizations, and get some exercise. We would like the Byte
Back team to be as large as possible, so please ask your
friends and family to participate with us.
• When: Saturday, November 21 at 9:00 AM, Rain
or Shine
• Where: National Mall
• Why: Because we care!
We will also be hosting at least one mini-walk at an area school
(Luke C. Moore) in the weeks before the Walkathon.
CALLING ALL WALKERS!
In addition to the corporate sponsorship opportunity, Byte Back
has the chance to benefit from this event simply by attracting
walkers to our team.
We receive incentive awards based upon how many walkers we
recruit to walk on our behalf. For example, if we recruit:
• 150 or more walkers, we get a $2,000 grant
• 1,500 or more walkers, we get a $25,000 grant, or
• 3,000 or more walkers, we get a $50,000 grant!
Spotlight on
Corporate
Sponsorship
You can help Byte Back benefit
from this event by joining the
corporate sponsorship effort!
For every corporate sponsor we secure, Byte Back will
receive the full amount of the sponsor fees, plus a 20%
incentive grant from Fannie Mae.
For example, if Byte Back secures a corporate sponsor
who gives $10,000, we will receive $12,000! The
sponsor’s name will be listed on the website event day
signage, walkathon t-shirt and promotional materials.
If you know of a company seeking high profile
recognition, please ask them to contact Kelley Ellsworth
(kellsworth@byteback.org) about naming Byte Back as
their beneficiary organization.
If you would like to join us in the Walkathon, you may pre-
register by visiting www.helpthehomelessdc.org.
The pre-registration fee is $15 for
youth (age 25 and younger) and
$25 for adults. You can also regis-
ter on the day of the event. Fees
are $15 for youth and $30 for
adults. Please don’t forget to name
Byte Back as your beneficiary
organization!
7
FEATURED UPCOMING EVENTS
Volunteer Networking and Teacher Training
On Wednesday September 30 from 6:00-8:00 pm at the
Brooks Mansion (kitty corner from Byte Back), Byte Back will be
holding a dessert reception for any and all volunteers. Prospec-
tive, new, seasoned and former volunteers are welcome! This
event will include a training in best practices for technology
instruction and adult education, and will include time for social-
izing and networking.

Volunteers will be able to:

• Network with other volunteers
• Share their experiences and knowledge to better
serve our students
• Learn from fellow teachers
• Get up-to-date on best practices in adult education
and technology training

Contact Betty Benningfield (bbenningfield@byteback.org) for

more information.

An Exciting Career Opportunity

ANNUAL BYTE BACK JOB FAIR

On Thursday September 24 from 12pm to 3pm, Byte
Back will be hosting our annual Job Fair at the Brooks
Mansion (kitty corner from Byte Back). This event is
designed for Office Track students and graduates, and
will feature companies looking for employees with
administrative skills.
This event is open to the general public, and all Byte
Back students and graduates are strongly encouraged to
attend.
Employers interested in participating in this event should
contact Terrell Waller (twaller@byteback.org). Students
please RSVP to Betty Benningfield
(bbenningfield@byteback.org).

But That’s Not All!

To help students take full advantage of the opportunities that the job fair has to offer, Terrell Waller will be holding two
special workshops at Byte Back, on September 19th and 22nd from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Both workshops will focus on
interviewing and resume-writing skills. Terrell will help students learn to market themselves so they can be as effective as
possible at the job fair.
Students please RSVP to Terrell Waller (twaller@byteback.org).

8
UPCOMING EVENTS
Board of Directors Meetings
Anyone interested in serving on our Board of
Directors or on one of our committees is en-
couraged to sit in on one of our meetings,
which take place every other month on the
third Thursday of the month. Email Board
Chair Jewel Scott (scott@dean.com) to let her
know you are coming. Upcoming meetings
are: September 17, November 19, January
21, March 18 and May 20. All Board Meet-
ings start at 6:30 pm with a meet and greet,
followed by the business meeting beginning at
7 pm sharp and ending by 9pm sharp.
Co nt act Kelley Ellswo rt h
(kellsworth@byteback.org ) for more informa-
tion.

Taste of Byte Back

Stop by for a tasty treat and learn about Byte Back from staff,
Board Members, our volunteer teachers and former students.
Held every fourth Wednesday from
6pm to 7pm. We look forward to meet-
ing new people and seeing familiar
faces. (Upcoming dates: September 23,
October 28, November 25, December
23.)
Contact Betty Benningfield
(bbenningfield@byteback.org) for more
information.
Byte Back Birthday
On October 15, Byte Back will be TWELVE years old. We plan
to hold a celebration as a way of appreciating everyone who
has been a part of our success over the years, including our
students, volunteers and staff. Keep your eyes open for an up-
coming birthday celebration announcement.
Office Track Graduation
On Saturday December 19, we will
be holding our biggest Office Track
graduation ceremony ever, with
seven classes finishing up on the same
week. This is one of our favorite
events at Byte Back, as we get to
honor the hard work that our students
put in during the course. We will
keep you posted about the time and
place of this exciting event.

Gearing Up To Meeting the Needs of the Community

We have heard you! Our Office Track classes have been in high demand. Some students have requested a Saturday Office
Track. Others have asked for bilingual Office Track, and still others have inquired about a daily class that can be
completed more quickly. In response to your requests, we have secured three additional classrooms and have scheduled a
total of nine Office Track courses this fall.

We will be holding 12-week courses at four different time frames to choose from: mornings, afternoons, evenings, or
Saturdays. In addition, we will be offering three Daily Office Track classes, which meet daily from Monday through
Thursday for three weeks. All courses will be held at Byte Back headquarters except the afternoon class, which will take
place at Academy of Hope (601 Edgewood St NE, about 12 blocks from Byte Back), and one evening class, which will take
place at Catholic Charities (924 G Street NW at Gallery Place/Chinatown).

Please help us to spread the word!

9
 FALL/WINTER 2009 CLASS SCHEDULE
This season no registration fee; contributions always welcome. Classes are for low-income individuals and must be full to start. For
more information contact Betty Benningfield (Email: bbenningfield@byteback.org / Tel: 202-529-3395) or visit our website at
www.byteback.org. Register in person Monday-Friday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm.

PC BEGINNERS September 29-December 17

Tuesday & Thursday Evenings
PC Be ginn er s AM 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
September 21-October 19 or November 2-November 25
Monday, Wednesday & Friday Mornings September 29-December 22 (at Academy of Hope)
10:30 am to noon Tuesday & Thursday Afternoons
1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
PC Be ginn er s PM
September 9-September 30 or November 2-November 23 (at September 29-December 17 (Bilingual Spanish)
Catholic Charities*) Tuesday & Thursday Evenings
Monday & Wednesday Evenings 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Off ice Tr ack S atu r day
September 21-October 19 or November 30-December 23 (at September 19-December 12
Saturday Afternoons
Academy of Hopet)
12:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Monday & Wednesday Afternoons
1:30 pm to 3:30 pm Intensiv e Off ice Tr ack Pr o gr am
September 28-October 15, October 26-November 12 or
October 5-October 28 November 30-December 17
Monday & Wednesday Evenings Monday-Thursday Mornings and Afternoons
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
November 2-November 25
Monday & Wednesday Evenings
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm MS WORD – LEVEL 1
November 30-December 23
Monday & Wednesday Afternoons
November 2-November 25 (at Academy of Hope) 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm
Monday & Wednesday Afternoons
1:00 pm to 3:30 pm October 5-October 28 (at Catholic Charities)
Monday & Wednesday Evenings
November 3-November 24 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Tuesday & Thursday Afternoons
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
MS EXCEL – LEVEL 1
PC Be gi nner s Satu r day November 30-December 16 (at Catholic Charities)
September 12-October 31 Monday & Wednesday Evenings
Saturday Afternoons 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
12:30 pm to 2:00 pm

Intensiv e PC Be gin ner s Pr ogr am HTML – LEVEL 1

September 21-September 24 or October 19-October 22 October 7-December 2
Monday-Thursday Mornings and Afternoons Wednesday Evenings
10:00 am to 2:00 pm 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

MS OFFICE TRACK HOME NETWORKING

September 19-October 10
MS O ff ice Tr ack AM Saturday Mornings
September 29-December 17 10:00 am to noon
Tuesday & Thursday Mornings
10:00 am to noon

MS O ff ice Tr ack PM PC HARDWARE

September 8-December 1 (at Catholic Charities) October 17-October 30
Tuesday & Thursday Evenings Saturday Mornings
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm 10:00 am to noon

*Catholic Charities is located at 924 G Street NW at Gallery Place/Chinatown

t Academy of Hope is located at 601 Edgewood Street NE, about 12 blocks from Byte Back
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 YES, I want to help students achieve better paying
jobs and independence. Enclosed is my donation of
$_____________________

Name

Address

City/State/Zip

Phone/Email

Byte Back, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Method of Payment

organization, teaching a broad range of computer
and office skills to underserved youth and adults.
Our mission is to improve economic opportunity by Check
providing computer training and employment
readiness skills to low-income residents of the
American Express
Washington Metropolitan area. Our ultimate goal is Visa
to promote successful futures, one student at a time!
The majority of our students are female (62%), MasterCard
African American (78%) and either homeless or
living temporarily with friends or relatives. Byte
Back enables our economically disadvantaged
students, most of whom reside in Wards 5, 7, and 8, Credit Card # Exp. date
to acquire the marketable skills needed to find
employment, hold on to a job, and/or advance in
their careers.
Signature
The average cost of one student graduating from
Office Track, not including donations of materials
and volunteer time, is $1,384. The average cost
per student of our Introduction to PCs class, which I am also interested in learning more about volunteer
first connects youth and adults to our tech-savvy opportunities in:
world, is $346.
Teaching
Byte Back succeeds with generous donations from
individuals, foundations, and corporations. YOU can Mentoring
help our students by:
• teaching a class; Event Planning/Marketing
• providing an internship or job; or, Designing Curriculum
• donating funds.
With volunteer teachers, donated equipment, and a Other:______________________________
committed staff, Byte Back today serves over 400
individuals each year. Our main classrooms are in
Northeast Washington but we partner with other Please mail or fax this form with your contribution to
non-profits to serve the greater Metro area. Byte Back
Volunteers – giving time and energy to our students 815 Monroe Street, NE
– and donors – providing essential funding - make Washington, DC 20017
our work possible. Fax 202.529.4684

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