George's Page

Hi George. My name is Chuck Serventi, and I teach 5th grade in a small rural town in Arizona overlooking Lake Powell.

I am interested in your study on Social Networking. I belong to a fantastic one called HelloWorld. Although different from the many that are out there, HelloWorld does not allow advertising, so teachers and other educators truly love how it can be sent home without the annoying "Is Brittney Spears Fat? Click Here to Vote" pop-ups.
HelloWorld's main platform is video: I can video email parents and students, video my lessons and blog/podcast them for my students to review, and even broadcast my lessons live for other students to watch at their homes if they are sick.
The way that HelloWorld can get away from pop-ups is that it is subscription-based. The price starts at $9.95 per month with no long-term contract to sign. The user pays the fee, and anyone (not just members) can view the website. Think of it like a Yahoo account on steroids. All that is needed is a web camera and a hi-speed connection. Where HelloWorld can truly make a difference is how anyone can become involved with HelloWorld as a business. Professionals, especially teachers can become affiliates with HelloWorld and share the opportunity with others. Think of the movie "Pay It Forward".
Check out my HelloWorld website at www.helloworld.com/cserventi and see how I use it in my classroom. Let me know if you would like some more information for you paper.
Respectfully,
Chuck Serventi