CURRENT PROGRAMS of WWW UNITED    1. The Learning Board™ (Our handheld chalkboard) This is our main solution to help students throughout the world who lack funds for basic school supplies, in places where even the most rudimentary educational instruments like paper and pencils are scarce or non-existent. We have already produced tens of thousands of these small chalkboards that include a place to attach and store an eraser and chalk. The Learning Boards™ will last for approximately 10 years, and, as such, can accompany a child throughout his or her entire primary education.   Since WWW United was founded, we have researched and experimented to find this inexpensive, durable solution for students who need writing materials. These self-contained modern slate-type chalkboards are a very workable product that can make an enormous difference for more literacy in many parts of the world including The Middle East, Southwest Asia, Africa, The Far East and Latin America. To date, WWW United has shipped over 10,000 Learning Boards™ into Afghanistan and several hundred others into Iraq, Mexico and Vietnam. Africa also is in line to receive our chalkboards, chalk and sock “erasers”.   A WWW United Learning Board™   Just recently, we received a request from a corporation for 170,000 Learning Boards™ to donate to children in Afghanistan. In addition to this, an Army Civil Affairs Battalion in Iraq has also requested boards to be given to children by our soldiers in Baghdad.  And, a Special Forces group is to take a large amount over soon.    We strongly believe that, in addition to improving literacy rates in many areas around the world, the Learning Board™ is a wonderful and important way to help improve the image that many people have of the United States in these areas. This little learning tool works in many ways, not the least of which is to promote cultural exchange on both sides of the oceans. Thus, our students learn too, and they even learn that education is revered in other countries, and it might be wise for us to value it also.   How do our students learn?  For instance, currently, members of the San Jacinto Council of Girl Scouts in Texas continue to make the Learning Boards™ as a service project. This council is composed of about 55,000 girls, who have volunteered their time over the years to produce the chalkboard, or supply the chalk and sock “eraser” we also send.   In addition to this, many other volunteers from community organizations, churches and schools have given their time to help make Learning Boards™, and we continue to be impressed and very appreciative of their on-going support.        Girl Scouts in Houston, Texas volunteer to make Learning Boards™   Although volunteers are a key component of our Learning Board™ program, we are delighted to report that we have received so many requests for Learning Boards™, that, as of May 2004, we have contracted with a large manufacturer, who has been producing the Learning Boards™ professionally, at a very low cost.      We are thrilled when we reflect on the children worldwide who will have the means to learn to read and write because of our Learning Boards™. These are children who may have been illiterate for life without this help. After all, we posit that it is very difficult to learn to read and write without something to read or write upon.   School girls in Afghanistan each receive their own WWW United Learning Board™. The girls are pictured with WWW United CEO and president Josanna Smith, center.     2. The Book Recycling Program.   We continue to stock our library with donations of good-quality used books, hardback and paperback, for sending overseas.  Many children around the world grow up without ever owning a single book, and schools are desperate to receive books of all kinds to share with people in their communities. Overseas-designated books are carefully screened first by our committee of professors and teachers, then approved by recipient country officials before shipment. Remaining books are sold to help defray shipping costs.   Anyone interested in donating books to help this program can contact us directly, and WWW United will be happy to pick up the books or arrange for shipping. One organization from France just contacted us to say they need books in English for their children to learn from; every indication says that almost all countries could use our recycled books.  Recycling is very important to us at WWW United:  Cans, books, other things.  We believe that we throw enough away in the USA to furnish whole countries with educational materials.   3. The English-as-a-Foreign-Language Program. (EFL)   WWW UNITED is currently researching a program to use overseas for those who want English as a Foreign Language. Representatives from WWW United have already traveled to Vietnam and China to search for ways that we can work within these countries. Vietnam first expressed desire for this possibility, and now China, in particular, has requested that WWW United send teachers to conduct 1-2 month English language courses.  Officials there even offered to provide the facilities. Anyone interested in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is encouraged to contact us.   These are not the only countries to demonstrate a desire for more opportunities to learn English. As English is becoming more and more common as the means of spoken communication around the world, many developing nations are interested in ways to teach the English language to more of their citizens. This educational element will help to improve their economies by facilitating more business and communication with the advanced industrial world. This effort could be very important for helping people and nations become more self-sustaining and more cooperative with one another.    Moreover, a common language should make it possible for an increase in intercultural exchange and intercultural respect. We believe this will become a major initiative for us, and we are working with experts to help us develop a major advance in the numbers of students who can be taught well with fewer resources. What better way to help improve the business exchange around the world? What better way to help people advance cultural exchange with one another than by giving them a language through which they can speak to another culture?  What better way to seek more peaceful relations other countries?  And, we can think of many other ways this initiative would be extremely valuable to our world. 4. The Distance Learning Research Program   We are investigating various avenues for accelerating distance learning, knowing that there will not be adequate numbers of teachers for the foreseeable future, leaving many children across the globe without a teacher.  Many children already learn much with the most rudimentary of infrastructure and supplies. Therefore, it seems very prudent to WWW UNITED that we find better ways to provide at least one teacher for more children. We believe that, in time, we can find a paradigm shift acceptable to all sides of this equation. Research is ongoing at WWW United into methods for teaching large numbers of students worldwide, especially those currently receiving little or no education. One possibility is teaching via satellite, radio or television where there is a great shortage of teachers. WWW United is investigating ways to manufacture one such radio at reasonable cost, so that it could be disseminated on a large scale. And, we have been part of an interactive internet learning experiment, which is very promising.  Capital is the main barrier to implementing that.      5. The Sock and Chalk Program   Various groups (i.e. Girl Scouts, schools, teachers, churches, etc.) have conducted local community drives to collect white chalk and white crew socks (Men’s small cotton is quite good) to be used with the Learning Boards™.  Chalk is used with our Learning Boards™, which are provided for children who have difficulty obtaining pencils or paper. Socks are attached to the boards and are used as erasers and chalk holders. We are always in need of more socks and chalk to send overseas along with the Learning Boards™. Please contact us if you are interested in donating socks and/or chalk or holding a chalk and sock drive in your community, schools, churches or other organizations.      6. The Can-Do Cans Program   This project provides a way for general donations to help educate a child who is not currently being educated. WWW United collects donations of empty aluminum soda cans, which are then turned over to a local recycling plant. All return reimbursement is used to help pay for supplies used to make Learning Boards™. Although it may seem like a small return, these donations actually do add up to help produce Learning Boards™, since the overall cost of producing the Learning Boards™ is very low. Furthermore, we are using the waste in the United States for a worthy cause. Local schools, in particular, are interested in this simple program, because our children learn the value of recycling and helping those less fortunate. For many, it will be an awakening to the fact that education is not something to be taken for granted. Start saving your empty cans now, and WWW United will be happy to pick them up and turn them into assistance for children worldwide.      7. The Pen Pals/Essay Project The Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council in Texas have agreed to work with us on a Pen Pals and Essay project. This enhanced Pen Pals campaign will include study and essays to help Scouts research their Pen Pal’s life, home, and country. In addition to this, WWW United collects letters from Girl Scouts who have made Learning Boards™ or donated socks and chalk. We then share these letters with the children around the world who are receiving Learning Boards™. WWW United has also received several “thank you” notes and letters from children in Afghanistan who have been given Learning Boards™.   There are other exciting projects in the works for the future. Stay tuned! And please let us hear of your great ideas. Share your wisdom with us, because one of the goals of WWW United is to gather the wisdom of people everywhere to solve the many educational problems worldwide.    In fact, we are looking for nothing less than a Win-Win-Win for all sides. That is the main reason we are known as the Win-Win-Win Organization. We will look until we find the common ground that gives everyone at least some part of a victory. In addition, when more children are learning, it really gives us all a victory.