Paul Fortier
Program Designs


Smoking Prevention CD ROM and Web Site (2002 - 2006)
The Cut is a smoking prevention program for middle schools that includes a 3D, first-person perspective CD ROM game, curriculum materials , on-line class activities and a Web site. This program, funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, is designed to reduce initiation of tobacco use among middle school students in southeastern Michigan by using a peer mentoring approach and the appeal of the 3D game genre. The curriculum helps young participants develop refusal skills and provides information about coping with peer pressure, addresses smoking in the context of issues immediately important to teens and preteens and speaks to youth in the language of the their own culture. NOTE: The Web site, linked from above, is very image-heavy. (It is designed for high bandwidth connections as are found in most schools). To receive a copy of the CD ROM game for your review, please contact me.


Insite Mentoring Network (1999 - 2004)
This program, designed and implemented in 1999 and currently in operation, provides career mentoring information and internship opportunities for high school students. The Web component includes a searchable database of career mentors, Day at Work features, career FAQ pages and a secure mentor-mentee email correspondence environment. This database was created by over 100 students from area high schools, teen centers and at-risk programs. These students participated in semester-long production sessions held in various media labs throughout Washtenaw County. They researched careers, interviewed career mentors, created mentors' Web profiles and produced their own on-line resumes. (During the 1997-1998 pilot project, students from local at-risk programs interviewed senior citizens, documented their 'life lessons' and created these seniors' web profiles.)

WISD Online Technology Projects (2000 - 2002)
This program was designed for the Washtenaw Intermediate School District of Washtenaw County, MI. in 2000. It was a collaborative project between Washtenaw County public high schools, Washtenaw Community College and area businesses to initiate technology learning by matching high school students with technology mentors from the local community. The Web component included a database of interactive tutorials, step-by-step lessons and a secure correspondence and file transfer system. NOTE: In June of 2002 the WISD underwent administrative changes and discontinued the project. You may, therefore, encounter some broken links when previewing the program's Web site.)