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>> Hi, and welcome to this
edition of "BCPS News."
I'm Mary Beth Marsden.
On today's show, we'll check out
the robotics craze,
a cross-generational reading
program, and technology
at its finest.
All this and more.
But first, let's check out
what's trending.
The 2012 national
Carson Scholars Fund recently
announced its award recipients.
Each year, the fund recognizes a
group of high-achieving students
in grades 4 through 11 who
demonstrate outstanding academic
achievement and humanitarian
qualities.
Students receive a $1,000
college scholarship award.
This year, 11 BCPS students were
first-time scholar winners,
along with 51 other BCPS
students who have renewed their
Carson Scholar status.
These previous winners have
maintained high academic
standards and a strong
commitment to their communities.
Patapsco High School and Center
for the Arts just announced the
release of the first mobile app
created for the school by the
students.
The app is called PHS Connect
and is now available in the
iTunes app store for download to
iPhones, iPods, and iPads.
The program was created by the
APPlied Club, an after-school
group started by alumni
Shawn and Stephanie Grimes,
owners of Campfire App
Development.
The PHS Connect includes many
features relevant to the
students in their daily lives
within the school community.
Plans for a second app are in
the works, featuring Patapsco
games.
More than 120 BCPS students have
earned the highest achievements
offered by the National 2012
Scholastic Art and Writing
Awards organization,
the most students of any school
system in Maryland,
as one of the most prestigious
awards presented to talented
secondary school writers and
artists.
21 Gold Key winners --
Scholastic's highest-category
award -- were achieved by
students from the
George Washington Carver Center
for Arts and Technology.
Congratulations.
Stay with us -- there's
much more to come.
>> When I was younger, I didn't
want to admit I had
a serious disease.
Because of my diabetes, I lost
the sight in my left eye.
Misconceptions continue to
surround this
monster public health issue.
But the simple truth is,
diabetes can often be prevented
and complications avoided.
You're not alone.
Understand the realities of
diabetes and know that you can
manage it and lead
a full, active life.
>> Welcome back.
A unique reading program
recently celebrated a milestone
with some special guests.
Let's turn the page and
check out its local connection.
>> REPORTER: A standing-room-
only crowd packed the
Eastern Tech library on the
evening of March 15th
for the 20th anniversary of
the school's cross-disciplinary,
cross-generational
reading program.
>> The program started 20 years
ago with my immediate
predecessor, who was
Sally McNelis.
One of the things that she
worked very hard at was trying
to promote lifelong reading in
all of the students.
>> REPORTER: So each year for
the past two decades, the
faculty at Eastern Tech selects
a book for students, teachers,
and members of the community to
read and then hosts an evening
where the Eastern Tech family
can share their insights.
>> I think the program really
opens opportunities for people
of all genders, of all ages, of
all viewpoints, to come together
for one night and to really
discuss their opinions and
viewpoints on a topic.
>> REPORTER: This year's book
was "The Immortal Life of
Henrietta Lacks."
>> COOK: It was a story that
you just couldn't put down when
you picked it up, and those are
the kinds of selections that we
want our students to read.
>> REPORTER: The book was
further brought to life by guest
speakers Courtney Speed,
who is featured in the book;
Henrietta's grandson, David;
and a visit from her son, Sonny.
>> STUDENT: Most of the time,
you do not get to meet the
people that are associated with
the person who's the subject
of a book.
But here, we got to meet
her grandson,
as well as the grandchildren.
And that basically made it feel
more like a real story.
>> STUDENT: It made me
think a whole lot more
of what they might be going
through, and how they
see the book as a pathway to
something that's greater, just
getting them known, and just
getting their mother known.
>> WOMAN: You have to look
in the past to look forward,
so you won't make the same
mistakes, and I think it helps
the younger generation to learn
from our past mistakes,
so we won't make them again.
>> REPORTER: So, after 20 years,
the reading program continues to
serve its original purpose.
>> We recognize that, you know,
reading is a key part of
success in whatever you do in
life.
So we try to foster that
as much as we can.
>> The faculty at Eastern Tech
are already working on next
year's book selection.
Coming up next, students from
around the county of all ages
are devoting more and more of
their time to the fascinating
world of robotics.
And the VEX Robotics Design
System is part of that craze.
>> REPORTER: Robotics is fast
becoming one of the more popular
pastimes of elementary, middle,
and high school students these
days, and for students in
the Hereford zone, that pastime
has turned into a passion.
>> STUDENT: I've always thought
robots were cool, so I decided
to join, and it's turned out to
be a great experience, because
I've learned a lot from the
other kids, I've got to teach
myself the language we program
in -- ROBOTC -- so that's
been a cool experience.
>> REPORTER: The VEX Robotics
Design System offers students an
exciting platform for learning
about areas rich with career
opportunities spanning science,
technology, engineering,
and math, otherwise known
as STEM.
>> In this tournament, we have
the balls and barrels that we
have to put into 15-inch and
30-inch goals.
And the objective of this is
that the robots are in the
isolation and interaction zone,
where some robots are put in
the isolation zone and must work
until last 30 seconds of the
match, where the gate is raised,
and all the robots can go into
the interaction zone.
>> REPORTER: This objective is
presented to the designers.
Teamwork and innovation is
the name of the game.
>> Originally, our claw was
just this little part right
here and not this bottom part.
And I thought that maybe if I
added this, you'd be able to get
a better grip on it.
But not only can we get a better
grip, we can also pick up
more than just one object.
>> REPORTER: Robotics is much
more than a hobby.
It's a stepping stone to a
successful future.
>> It gives you a lot of
experience with not just being
an engineer, not just that
experience, but experience with
teamwork and having a lot of fun
out on the field, playing
the game.
And I'm planning on doing this
as a career when I'm older.
>> STUDENT: It's got some good
applications with colleges,
obviously.
That's definitely something I'm
going to be putting on my
college application, is
president of Robotics Club.
That's BCPS brain power
at its best.
For more information on the VEX
Robotics Design System and to
follow the results of BCPS teams
in the upcoming
world competition,
go to vexrobotics.com.
Now let's turn our attention to
the Cromwell Valley Elementary
School kids, doing some Skyping
around America in celebration of
Dr. Seuss's birthday
and the annual county-wide
competition of
the 24 Math Challenge
as we check out what's going on
around the county.
>> REPORTER: The talented
students at Cromwell Valley
Magnet School connected with
other students around the nation
by reading Dr. Seuss books,
celebrating his birthday on
Read Across America Day.
>> WOMAN: We're trying to
connect our children outside of
our school walls, so that has
been a goal all year long.
Instead of just reading across
America, we decided that we
would connect across America.
So we are using Skype and
SAFARI Live to connect with
classrooms all over
the United States.
>> REPORTER: The most popular
book, we'd have to say, was
"The Lorax" on that special day.
>> MAN: It's a very fitting
topic for our times.
It's all about ecology.
It's all about respecting the
universe, the planet,
the resources that we have.
>> REPORTER: With Skype calling
technology, the students were
able to communicate with other
school systems by reading each
other pages from Dr. Seuss
and from other subjects.
>> I think that they love
reading, which is part of what
we're trying to instill, is the
love of reading.
They just like to know that
there's a world out there and
that they're connecting with it.
>> REPORTER: Whether you read
Mother Goose or Dr. Seuss,
it's important to see the need
to read in order to succeed.
The 16th annual 24 Math
Challenge, sponsored by
M&T Bank, went off without
a hitch this year.
Competitors from elementary
school and middle school
competed for top prizes.
For most of the students, it's
all about preparation.
>> STUDENT: My mom bought me my
own cards, and I joined the
Math Club at school, and we
practiced -- I practiced the
cards every Tuesday there
at school, and I practiced
at home.
>> REPORTER: This year's
24 Math Challenge
involves skills.
>> It was just so heartwarming
to see so many of our young
people becoming more and more
engaged in the science of
mathematics.
>> Technology is used every day
throughout the school system.
But one BCPS teacher was
recognized for how she applies
the use of technology in her
classroom.
Let's take an in-depth look as
we get in focus.
>> WOMAN: Mixed numbers -- what
do you need to convert them to
when you multiply?
Josh.
Improper fraction, very good.
>> REPORTER: Today's classroom
has so many instructional tools
for teachers and students to
use.
>> Which is six plus one,
which is seven.
>> REPORTER: This is what they
are accustomed to.
>> Someone I haven't heard from
here.
By age, I'm obviously
a technology immigrant.
So I had to learn a lot of the
technology as I went.
It's enhanced my teaching,
because it's made it more
exciting, not just for the
children, but for me.
>> REPORTER: She has
incorporated technology in her
classroom seamlessly.
>> FALATKO: Okay, make sure
you're writing things, because
you are going to have to
explain.
>> I like using technology in
math class, 'cause you get to do
a lot of things on the
Promethean Board, and it makes
math a lot more fun.
>> I also like coming here,
because it's interactive and we
get to use different things to
help us understand different
subjects, like language arts
and math.
>> REPORTER: Mrs. Falatko feels
it's important to include
technology because this is what
they know and how they learn.
>> WOMAN: Whenever you walk in
her classroom, her kids are
using technology in one form or
another.
They're either
using the Promethean Board,
they're on their laptops, doing
some type of research.
She uses technology in order to
enhance their strengths, in
order to meet their needs,
and to address
their multiple intelligence.
>> REPORTER: That's why she won
the Baltimore County Outstanding
Educator Using Technology
Award and was nominated on the
state level, as well.
So how did she feel?
>> FALATKO: It makes me feel
proud for Cromwell Valley.
Our school does a wonderful job,
again, of seamlessly integrating
the technology, from
our principal's support on the
projects that we do to our
technology integration teachers,
Dana Novotny and Jill Wright.
We just get so much support,
and this award should be for
the whole school.
And it makes me proud to
represent CVE.
>> REPORTER: With technology
incorporated in her lessons,
these students are receiving
a quality education.
>> I'm going just to tell you
one thing for middle school.
>> We'll keep you posted to see
if she wins the Maryland
Outstanding Educator Using
Technology Award.
We wish her the best.
That does it for this
edition of "BCPS News."
If you have any story ideas,
comments, or suggestions,
contact us at
edchannel@bcps.org.
And follow BCPS
on Facebook and Twitter.
As we leave you today, let's
take a look at the Young Artists
Showcase on display at the
Towson Arts Collective Gallery.
Until next time,
I'm Mary Beth Marsden.
Thanks for watching.
>> I feel like it's all on my
shoulders.
How am I going to take care of
my parents if they develop an
eye disease like glaucoma?
Glaucoma is the leading cause of
blindness in African Americans
and Hispanics
in the United States.
And what about my kids?
Will they inherit it?
Not to mention my risk factor.
I'm really concerned, and I need
some answers.
>> Call...
or go to AHAF.org for answers,
including a free brochure
on glaucoma.