Whizkid Wows Washington With Website Work
Story & photos by SPC Charles Ames
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Well, we've all heard about the Internet by now - you know, the "world wide web" - but what's an Intranet? Well, it's about the same thing except that access to an Intranet is controlled by passwords - you can't "surf" to it from your PC at home. Intranets provide a new, high-tech way to share information within an organization such as a corporation, or in this case within the Washington Army National Guard. These things can make organizations more effecient, but they don't just happen - they have to be programmed.
Steelman is being recognized for volunteering his time and ability to help start up an Intranet web page for the Washington Army National Guard's Visual Information Department. Among other things CPT Connie Kindle is in charge of managing our Visual Information assets - stuff like cameras, motion picture equipment, scanners, projectors and other multi-media gadgets. She was looking for an easier way to coordinate the requests for this equipment from Guard units throughout the state. Up till now she had done it the old fashioned way - with pen, paper and telephone.
Since the Washington Army National Guard has one of the most sophisticated wide-area networks around, and since that network now connects every Guard unit in the state with every other unit, she wanted to use this technology to make her operation more efficient. Now CPT Kindle is very good at a great many things. She is, for example, an excellent Transportation Officer. She is also a skilled Visual Information specialist. She is not a computer programmer (at least, not yet!) But CPT Kindle knew what most of us are only just know discovering - that our children know far more about computers than we will ever will!
I should mention another of CPT Kindle's traits - she is innovative. She discussed her dilemma with her brother, Ron Charrier, who happens to be a teacher at Meridian Junior High school. Ron knows lots of children. "Steelman Ruoff is one of my students who is good with computers. When my sister talked with me about having a student work on a website, Steelman came to mind. They got together and started working on a web page for her unit. Since then, Steelman comes in and works on the website about an hour and a half each day during my ‘plan period’. Connie comes in and they work to put it together."
The nonchalant Steelman says of his work, "When I first heard about the web page, Mr. Charrier asked if any of the students were interested in helping out CPT Kindle on a web page. He asked me and I said, 'Sure, what’s there to lose?' The next day I met with her and got all the information. I taught her a few things on the computer and she told me what she would like. It’s turned out really good; just how I want it."
As the project drew to a close CPT Kindle wanted a special way to say "thank you" to her young associate. He had expressed a fascination with the "Humvee" truck, so she arranged for a ride in one with the help of 1SG Bradley Lucas. 1SG Lucas is the First Sergeant for Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 1-303 Armor whose armory is near Meridian Junior High School. Said Lucas, "CPT Kindle told me about the support that Steelman was providing and that he would like a ride in a 'Humvee'. I arranged for our unit in Kent to give him a ride. We're citizens as well as soldiers, and we really feel a close connection to the community around us. I think it’s important that we reach out to today’s youth. Many of these children will grow up to be the soldiers of tomorrow. And when they go out of their way to help, like Steelman has, I think that’s a big step in the right direction." Steelman was also presented with a plaque thanking him for his assistance.
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The Principal of Meridian, Terry Bloomquist, is quite at ease around the students inhabiting his ward. He moves about the campus with a cluster of attentive charges in his wake. He smiles easily and can’t seem to say enough about young Steelman. "I am extremely proud of Steelman and appreciate the recognition that he has received for the good work that he is doing. These are the types of things that stay in a child's memories forever. Thank you."
CPT Kindle, a recent mother herself, has developed a great admiration for her young associate. "He's really great to work with. He's very mature and organized, more like working with another soldier. I've learned a lot about computers from him on this project. I think that he's got a great career ahead of him, whether that career is in computers or music, or some other area. He's very talented."
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For every single time a breaking news banner trumpets youth hostilities, thousands of kids across this country, and one in particular in Kent, have already rolled up their sleeves and answered the call. Emerson said, "When duty whispers, 'Lo, thou must’, Youth replies, ‘I can’ ".
Steelman is interested in music and has considered opening his own music store, but he says he's "still got a ways to go".
Whether inputting on computer keyboards or selling out of musical keyboards, young Steelman is with the program. Great kids like Steelman go unrecognized far too often.
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