ICTC STUDENTS COMPETE IN COMPUTER FAIR

(April 3, 2009)... Once again students from the Indiana County Technology Center’s (ICTC) Digital Media Technology and Graphics & Electronic Media program areas successfully competed in the annual Regional Pennsylvania Computer Fair.  The regional competition was held on Monday, March 30 at the Hadley Union Building on Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) campus.  According to the PA Computer Fair website, “The Pennsylvania High School Computer Fair is an annual event that highlights Pennsylvania high school students' application skills and computer knowledge. Students are able to unleash their creativity, learn how to convey information more dynamically, and enhance the learning process.”

There are eight categories and students from the ICTC usually focus on one of the following: Computer Fair Logo, Graphic Design, Digital Movie, and Text-Based Desktop Publishing.  Students from the ICTC have been working diligently for weeks on their projects and this was an opportunity to showcase their hard work and effort. This level of enthusiasm is what makes the Pennsylvania Computer Fair so interesting. Students from all of Indiana County come to compete and through the process, enjoy a further sense of fellowship among their peers. Projects at the Computer Fair demonstrate the wide range of creative talents through an electronic output.

This year the ICTC had a total of nine students participating in the regional computer fair and they all came home winners.  Winning first place in Computer Fair Logo was Haley Lichtenfels and Anna Rosporski.  Samantha Stahlman came in second place in Computer Fair Logo.  All three are students in Graphics & Electronic Media (GEM).  Other GEM students competing were Kaleb McCullough, who received a first place award in Graphic Design and Shauni McDowell and Haley Lichtenfels, who competed in Graphic Design and received a second place finish.  A unique project was created in Text-Based Desktop Publishing with ICTC Graphics & Electronic Media students Hope Claypool and Samantha Griffith collaborating with Marion Center student Hilary Greenwald.  The trio walked away with a first place finish in the regional competition.  Andrew Patterson, a senior in Digital Media Technology, received a second place finish in Digital Movie.  Andrew produced a digital movie on the self containing breathing apparatus or SCBA which is a device worn by rescue workers, firefighters and others to provide breathable air in a hostile environment.  When I asked Andrew about his digital movie he commented, “Being a firefighter myself, I am very proud of my project and I look forward to using it for training sessions at area fire departments.”

Not only does this day include a competition and a chance to learn new concepts by way of demonstrations and workshops, but it also exposes students to peer review and networking opportunities. First, second, and third places winners receive a prize, the amount chosen by the individual district.  The first place winner in each category proceeds to the State level of competition to be held on May 19 at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA.  Students competing at the state level have a chance to compete for a first place prize of $500, a second of $250, a third of $100, or an honorable mention for $25.   The awards and winners will be announced in the future.  For more information on the Pennsylvania Computer Fair, go to: www.pacomputerfair.org.

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