Funded Jan 25, 2010Thank you for your kind and wonderful gifts for our classroom "Visual Learners" project. Ever since we have been able to get the digitizing graphics tablets you have so generously provided, our students have been able to do a much better job of getting their creative ideas into the computer.
The graphics artwork they are doing with the tablets is of very high quality compared to that done with the mouse! The interface is intuitive and students will work for long periods undisturbed when they are comfortable with the equipment. They are able to focus on the work and their art as opposed to fighting to make the technology do what they want it to. Their satisfaction with the output encourages them to continue and work even harder.
I hope you will be able to take a little time to see some of the work they have done in the Introduction to Animation and 3D class at Independence High School this year. I have posted their work on the Donors Choose web site to give you a general idea of what they are capable. The program is in its second year now, and we are attracting better and better students as others see examples of the work posted on the walls around the room and in the halls.
One of our students was able to create an entry for a nationwide ACT poster contest this year. We also had three entries for the Fulton County Media Festival this year – passing our previous best of one entry. One of these entries secured a "Superior" award, and will move on to the state competition. While all of these events aren't directly products of the graphics tablets you provided, the availability of the right resources encourages the students to compete and not feel that they will be at a disadvantage relative to students at other schools. As you may be aware, our school is an alternative school and sometimes doesn't get the resources other larger traditional schools are funded with. If our students think they don't have competitive tools to work with, they won't be willing to put their best efforts into projects.
Next year, when the format of our courses switches over to fixed length mini-mesters, students who are interested in the animation and 3D subject matter won't be in any hurry to complete the assignments hastily. This will, I predict, result in a much improved work product and extensive use of the graphics tablets to produce this work. I am looking forward to seeing the results and hope to have a very large number of entries in the various competitions and contests going forward.
Thank you all so much for your wonderful contributions! People such as yourselves deserve a great deal of credit for your willingness to support education of our young people. So many people talk about the need for better education today, but you are certainly among an elite group of concerned citizens who are willing to try to do something to solve the educational problems we face in this country.
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With gratitude,
Mr. Nicholson