STEM Project Takes Center Stage
The annual one-handed guitar project in Mr. Brent Hilston’s sixth-grade STEM class has been a fascinating challenge to observe in recent school years and 2020-21 was no exception.
During the week of Feb. 22, Hilston’s sixth-grade Hilltopper students competed in teams using LEGO MindStorms EV3 kits and LEGO MindStorms programming software — equipment funded by non-profit Chardon Schools Foundation — to engineer a functional robot that allows for one-handed guitar playing.
Hilston described the project as one of the course’s most challenging tasks of the school year.
“The first team to solve the guitar arm this year comprised sixth-grade students Craig Chapman and Jared Luoma,” added Hilston. “It blew me away when they hooked it up and it worked. Our students never cease to surprise and impress me.”
Hilston’s post of the team’s accomplishment to Twitter drew the eyes and awe of many, including none other than LEGO Education itself.
“WOW!,” wrote the LEGO Education Twitter page administrator on March 1. “Your students went above and beyond with this aweSTEM creation!”
In addition, Ohio Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction Mr. Paolo DeMaria kindly took note of the accomplishment on his ODE Twitter page.
“Innovation takes shape from ideas that empower others,” wrote DeMaria on March 3. “I marvel at how these Chardon Schools students connected their STEM learning to this functional design. Thanks to educator Brent Hilston for challenging students to envision and create. Excellent work by all!”
Community members are welcome to view Hilston demonstrating Chapman’s and Luoma’s incredible team accomplishment via video at the following link: http://bit.ly/CLSD_GuitarVideo
MultiMedia Course Delivers A.M. News
Students enrolled in CHS Media Specialist and Technology teacher Victoria Eby’s Chardon High School MultiMedia Design course are responsible for recording, producing and editing the school’s daily announcements, which are then aired via classroom SMART Boards® the following weekday morning.
Through MultiMedia Design, a one-credit elective course open to students in grade levels eight through twelve, students gain an understanding of video and audio editing software through practical, real-world experience. Additionally, students use hardware needed to perform video and audio recording, both in and out of the recording studio.
Through a rotating schedule of jobs both in front of and behind the camera, MultiMedia Design students have regular access to hands-on experiences as they produce a daily video broadcast for the entire school.
Community members interested in viewing a finalized announcement production are invited to check out the http://bit.ly/CHS_MultiMedia link featuring eighth-grade students Richard Nemetz and Ava McGlashan on Feb. 26.
Virtual Science Fair Success
Chardon Middle School succeeded — amidst a pandemic — in attaining its long-awaited goal of rekindling the school’s science fair event.
“Under the direction of our Science Department Chair Brent Hilston, we pushed forward with a virtual science fair this year and are proud to highlight 10 amazing young scientists who went above and beyond expectations of CMS students,” said school principal Tim Velotta. “The students designed and evaluated amazing research questions.”
The 10 students whose projects were highlighted by the school are Colbie Wolf, Claire Stevenson, Ayden Smelko, Zachary Hathcock-Zeppo, Addison Fabian, Ava Dreher, Owen Przepiora, Kai Harris, Lukas Reel and Juliana Miozzi.
Topics covered by the students’ projects ranged from waste-derived microbial fuel cells to the tear factor of onions to the properties of ice that result in melting and more.
The students’ outstanding presentations can be accessed online at the following link: http://bit.ly/CMS_
Munson Waterfall Project
A multimedia waterfall collage project, recently undertaken on paper by Munson Elementary second-grade students in art teacher Beth Stickley’s class, provided the students with practice at creating space, including multiple horizon lines, as well as textured rocks, folk art animals, and a warm-colored sky and bushes.
“We first viewed Niagara Falls on a video clip and learned about the naturalist John Muir who studied and drew pictures of waterfalls in Yosemite National Park,” said Stickley. “As part of the project, we added salt and glitter on our waterfalls to show movement of the water as it cascades over the rocks. The kids loved working with glitter.”
