Amelia Earhart Intermediate School sixth-graders Tisha Carlton, foreground, and Annabel Posis look at Tisha’s picture show of Mother Theresa, which she completed for a school project. The show includes photos and background music, with a narration by Trisha. (Fred Zimmerman / S&S)
KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — Parents of students at one of the base schools here soon will get an opportunity to see how their children are putting state-of-the-art technology to use in the classroom.
Amelia Earhart Intermediate School has scheduled an evening titled “Technology Expo — Imagine. Explore. Discover.” The event — from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Jan. 19 — will showcase the latest high-tech gear being used, according to Andrea Mial, literacy support specialist at the school.
Mial said when most people hear about “technology” in schools they simply think “computers,” but that’s not the case. Equipment such as digital cameras and projectors and various software programs such as “Movie Maker” and “Photo Show” are just some of the items to be highlighted, she said.
“We want the parents and community to see that [the technology] goes beyond the Microsoft suite," she said. “A lot of good things with technology happen within the school, but sometimes parents aren’t aware.”
To highlight the latest equipment being used, the school’s two permanent computer labs will be used, along with two mobile computer labs complete with laptops with wireless Internet connections. Mial said parents will be given demonstrations and also will be able to get hands-on time with the equipment.
Parents also will be instructed on how to use the school’s Web site, which requires a password. Once logged in, parents can check assignments and stay in contact with the teacher when deployed.
Throughout the expo, various student projects will be displayed. Sixth-graders Tisha Carlton and Annabel Posis were selected to display their picture shows — reports on a person who has inspired them. The show is like a movie. The girls found photos to flow throughout the presentation, placed background video into the clip, then narrated their information into the report.
Tisha chose Mother Theresa; Annabel picked the school’s namesake, Amelia Earhart. Both said the project took them about four weeks.
Since coming to Okinawa from Brooklyn, N.Y., a year ago, Tisha said she never imagined doing what she is now when it comes to the latest equipment.
“I love technology," she said. “In my old school we just had computers and projectors — here we have all the latest technology. I’m lucky to be here now.”
