Give Something Back International Logo
The Global Virtual Classroom
is a project of the
Give Something Back
International Foundation

The Global Virtual Classroom (GVC) project is a collection of free, on-line educational activities and resources.

It aims to complement the efforts of governments and education departments around the world to integrate technology into their classrooms and curricula and to link their schools to the Internet.

 

Behind the Scenes

  • Judges
  • Program Manager
  • Outreach
  • Projects
  • Advisory Board

Many distinguished professionals have lent their time and expertise to the judging process.  A few of the previous judges include: 
Jerry Yang of Yahoo
Joseph Timko, Chief Architect, Bell Laboratories
Dr. Ram Matta, Former GE Executive and Engineering Professor
Dr. Gary Godfrey, Physicist, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
Earl Gee, President of an award-winning multi-disciplinary global web design firm
Carol Knauff, a retired AT&T officer who led many innovative consumer and business initiatives for the company. 

2009/10 VIP Judges
judgeLena W. Chung - Lena W. Chung serves as CEO of Environmental Technologies Foundation Limited, a charitable foundation focusing on environmental issues in Hong Kong. more...

judgeCarol Knauff - Carol C. Knauff is a retired Vice President from AT&T where she spent 29 years leading organizations to market place and financial success. more...

Dr. Ram MattaDr. Ram Matta - Dr. Matta has 30 years experience with GE and high tech industry as an executive and general manager. more...

judgeJoAnn Patrick-Ezzell - JoAnn Patrick-Ezzell is Chairman of the Give Something Back International Foundation, the sponsor of the Global Virtual Classroom Program. more...

rondaRonda Zelezny-Green - Ronda Zelezny-Green is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who has lived on four continents and has visited 23 countries.
 more...

KatyKaty Hutchinson - Katy Hutchinson is a life-long technology lover and a former Global Virtual Classroom student winner (Castles, Parcels, and Metatarsals-1999). more...

rayRaymond A. Young, Ph.D. - Dr. Young serves as Vice President for Education with the Sarasota Sister Cities Association facilitating international student interactions and exchanges. more...

Project Manager Charley ElseyJanet Barnstable has participated in the GVC programs since its inception in 1996. She recently retired from teaching after 48 years. For the past 18 years she was with Percy Julian Middle School in the Oak Park Illinois School District 97. Prior to that she taught for 30 years in the Catholic School System in Chicago and its Western Suburbs.

Janet has been involved in International collaborations since the early 90's having begun with an 800 number supplied by the Archdiocease of Chicago and a 300 baud modem! How times have changed!

She and her husband, Richard, currently live in Addison, which is about 20 miles due west of the City of Chicago. They find joy in their yard and garden and their lovely cat Catherine. 

International Outreach Director
Rhonda Zelezny-GreenRonda Zelezny-Green
- Hello!  Hola!  Mbola Tsara!  Manahoana!  Bonjour!  Ronda Zelezny-Green came on board with Give Something Back International in July 2009.  She is originally from Tampa, Florida but has also lived in North Carolina, Massachusetts and now London.   She graduated in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in Spanish (departmental honors) and Philosophy from Salem College and a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics from the University of Massachusetts at Boston.

Ronda really enjoys helping others and traveling internationally.  She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who has lived on four continents and has visited 23 countries.  She has been an ESL/EFL Educator for the last many years and will futher studies this fall in London.  She has also worked in higher education at Pine Manor College doing multicultural services education, planning and programming, along with youth leadership outreach.  Ms. Zelezny-Green has published articles on culture, lifestyles, and current events in the Association for African-American Linguists publication as well as MADA English Journal, the only all-English newspaper in Madagascar.

She is a self-proclaimed citizen of the world and looks forward to working as an international educator for many years to come.

Clubhouse Project Director
Marsha GorenMarsha Goren is joining the Global Virtual Classroom as the GVC Clubhouse Project Director. For many years she has participated in the Global Virtual Classroom Web Design contest with her students. Marsha will manage our Clubhouse Wiki and encourage participation in projects and discussions.

Marsha recently retired from Ein Ganim Elementary School after 31 years of teaching in Israel. She will continue collaboration with the many educators who have become colleagues and friends at the award winning International collaborative site GlobalDreamers, and invite those participants to join the GVC Clubhouse.

Teaching has always been her passion but her most rewarding experiences occurred when she discovered the power of the Internet. She recently wrote: "The kids and I learned about global collaboration and the sharing of knowledge with so many children and educators from around the world. My students advanced in so many areas, their English and technology skills improved beyond recognition." Her students also inspired her to create her own "English Learning" Wiki.

When asked if she would like to bring her projects to GVC, Marsha said, "I'm proud to be able to participate. The Clubhouse is not a competition, but a place to connect, collaborate, and communicate world wide."

Advisory Board

Francis Au
     Hong Kong, SAR
Lena Chung
     Hong Kong, SAR
Teresa Ezzell
     Arlington, VA
Stephanie Gould-Olson
     Sarasota, FL
Nanci Hamilton-Hoffman
      Tallahassee, FL
Curtis Ho
     Honolulu, HI
Goos Lier
      Netherlands
Gary Lister
      Cochran, GA

Manish Nandy
      Fairfax, VA
Frank Patrick
     Hillsborough, NJ
Sharon Peters
     Montreal, Canada
Bettie Reuter
     Bradenton, FL
James Timko
     Irvine, CA
Greg Wilmot
     Melbourne, Australia
Kathy Zondlo
     Knoxville, TN
Tom Zondlo
     Knoxville, TN

Thank you GVC and GSBI