Our Visit to PTC

Our team is sponsored by Parametric Technology Corporation, otherwise known as PTC. PTC creates software to assist companies in product development and product life cycle management. Basically, they sell software which allows companies such as Caterpillar or Honeywell to streamline every aspect of developing a new product, from the drawing board to distribution and decommissioning.

Being a team sponsor is a very big deal. PTC has generously donated over $100,000 to City Year for the economically uncertain 2009-2010 fiscal year alone. In turn they get increased brand recognition, as our team refers to ourselves as the PTC Ohrenberger School Team. Every time we do Physical Training or introduce our team, we use the company name. Recently, our team got an even bigger helping of this company's generosity as we visited the corporate headquarters. In many ways, it felt like we were in a modern version of Polar Express.

The wonder began when our charter van picked us up at City Year Headquarters around 11:00 am. The heated leather seats were more comfortable than anything in my apartment, and it was very difficult not to take a nap. We arrived at headquarters, a sprawling, clean complex somewhere in Needham, Massachusetts. We were greeted in the lobby by a giant, 3D sculpture of the corporate logo, a disused but well-maintained hovercraft on display and a friendly, handsom clerk who instructed us to put on name tags. As our uniforms required that we already wear name tags this was somewhat akward, but we complied and were lead up to the corporate visitor's center.

We reached a conference room with a long table, swivel chairs and a beautiful view of a lake. We were greeted by representatives from the PTC's engineering and corporate relations departments. Each Corps Member gave a testimonial about why he or she had joined City Year, and the reps in turn spoke about the company. The engineer explained each step of the the typical lifecycle for product development. He used Caterpillar's development of a new bulldozer as an example, taking us from brainstorming to documentation, CAD design (computerized drawings and blueprints) to production, distribution and ongoing maintenance. He explained that PTC software helps clients in every step of this process.

After his presentation came a catered lunch consisting of gourmet sandwiches, salad, cookies, and the best potato chips I have ever tasted. Taking a bathroom break, I noticed a hand drier called the AirBlade. Designed by James Dyson of vacuum fame, it's like a wind tunnel for your hands and is the closest thing to Star Trek's sonic shower that I have ever encountered in real life.

Our team headed to a theater to watch a presentation of PTC software in action. We sat in the coolest chairs ever. Everything swiveled, including the arm and the cup holder. We then witnessed a somewhat dry but informative presentation about Windchill, one PTC's development software programs. The client purchases Windchill and uploads into their server. Everyone working on a new product, such as a cellular phone, can use Windchill to generate a 3D model of the entire thing or any of its component parts. They can take out and manipulate individual parts, or view the entire thing or a specific part according to its electrical schematic. Any changes made to the device or the documentation pertaining to it are updated in real time and visible to everyone on the network. The software allows companies to design, build and test their products virtually without having to create expensive prototypes.

I asked if the software could be used for medical purposes, i.e. if someone’s heart or brain were mapped out could it be uploaded on to the software program and doctors could use it to treat the patient. The engineer said that that had not been thought of before. I told him, half-jokingly, that I was looking for a job.

After the presentation we rode back to headquarters. It was tough to leave the bus but good to be back at work. So next time I write a lesson plan, or help a kid with his or her homework or have to give a stern lecture about the importance of following directions, I know that PTC played a part in making it all possible.

What I Do

Now that I have been a Corps Member for nearly three months, I should tell you what it is I have actually been doing. I am part of the Whole School Whole Child Program, abbreviated WSWC (pronounced "whiz-wick"). This means I am in a school helping out teachers and students on a daily basis.

My team consists of 11 Corps Members, including myself and our Team Leader who acts as our boss. We are known as the PTC team because we are sponsored by the Parametric Technology Corporation, and we are stationed at Ohrenberger Elementary in West Roxbury. My areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to, the following:

• monitoring and helping students during whole class discussion


• performing clerical duties for my classroom teacher


• working independently with students in small groups


• mentoring students twice a week


• creating and implementing lessons for our Starfish After School Program


• helping my team run the Starfish After School Program twice per week


• helping out with recess and certain electives


• creating and running a 6th grade enrichment lessons once per week


• assisting in the regular after school program twice per week

On a typical weekday I get to the school around 7:45 via a 35 minute commute on the T. Our team circles at 8:00 and someone leads us in a readiness check. One person shouts and the rest of the team repeats each line:

"Boots or Shoes!"

"Black or White Socks!"

"Pressed Pants!"

"Belt!"

"Shirt tucked in!"

"Name tag!"

"Heart!"

"Mind!"

"Soul!"

A readiness check is designed to wake us up and make sure our uniforms are complete. After Team Leader Matt Comeau gives the announcements we do a Spirit Break. In a Spirit Break everyone stands in a circle and puts his or her hand in the center. The person whose hand is on top must come up with a word or phrase to "break" on. This is usually some alliterative couplet of whatever day of the week it is or whatever the announcements were about, such as "Terrific Tuesday" or "Marvelous Mentoring." We count to three, raise our hands and say the word or phrase. After the break team members go their separate ways.

If it is Wednesday, I typically prepare for 6th grade enrichment, which runs from 8:30-9:30. Corps Member Sam Tormey and I run Global Games, where we teach the kids sports from around the world. So far we have taught them to play Ultimate Frisbee and Gaelic Football.

Most days I go to my third grade classroom. When I arrive, there are usually copies to be made or posters to create. After the students are done with morning work they transition to Math, and I circulate around the room to ensure they are paying attention. Sometimes I pull kids aside and we work in a small group on an assignment or problem. When we transition to reading I usually read them a short section from a book. They really like the Goosebumps series, and we just finished The Girl Who Cried Monster. During Reading I circulate the room or pull aside the higher level readers for book discussion. We have been reading Teacher's Pet and discussing characterization and plot structure.

After Reading we go to recess and then lunch. I stay with the students for both except on Tuesdays and Thursdays I pull aside students for mentoring. We eat lunch, play games, and talk about issues like manners, respect and hygiene. After lunch, I have planning time from 12:45 to 2:30.

On Mondays and Wednesdays our team helps with the school or community center's after school program, so I am with first and second graders on the playground. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, our PTC team runs our own after school program known as Starfish. We help the students with homework for an hour and they move into enrichments run by corps members. My enrichment is Creative Arts, which I run with two other corps members. Recently we have been playing musical chairs and composing our own song using Mad Libs. After all the students are picked up by parents, we typically head home anytime from 5 to 6 p.m.

On Fridays, our team meets at City Year Headquarters along with the rest of the City Year Boston Corps. We have a full day of training and workshops, or a day of service where we go out as a Corps to various sites and paint buildings or volunteer with other service organizations.

So that is a typical week in my life as a City Year Corps Member. I intend to update this Blog weekly, on either Fridays or Saturdays, so look for more stuff and pictures coming soon.