PAECT Student Technology Showcase

The Pennsylvania Association for Educational Communications and Technology Student Technology Showcase was held on Monday, May 22, 2006, in the East Rotunda of the Capitol.

More than two hundred forty students and advisors from twenty nine school districts participated in the event. Among the more than thirty projects showcased were:

· Students from Sayre High School in the West Shore School District, who presented an animation project depicting “A Day in the Life of the Sayre Redskin”. This project won second place in the PA Computer Fair, held the next day.

· Third graders from Fairview Elementary School in the West Shore School District who presented "What's for Lunch?", a global collaboration and a part of the Rock Our World series

· Sixth graders from East Hanover Elementary School District in the Northern Lebanon School District presented the eMission: Operation Montserrat by connecting using Internet videoconference to the Challenger Center in Wheeling, West Virginia

· Thurgood Marshall K-8 School in Philadelphia presented a digital movie detailing their Award Winning K-8 Design Technology and Engineering program.

· Students from Hershey High School Library’s Student Multimedia Staff filmed the event and took digital photos for the PAECT website.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Education, Dr. Gerald L. Zahorchak, visited the showcase and spent time reviewing the projects and talking with the students. Deputy Secretary Michael Golden and Director Kathy Brautigam, of the Office of Information and Educational Technology were present. Also attending from the Department of Education were Sean McDonough, Jim Beeghley, and James Lewis.

Many senators and representatives arranged photo shoots and Capitol tours and spent time with the students. Among them were Senator Donald White, Representative David Reed, Representative Katharine Watson, Representative Bruce Smith, Representative Lynn Herman, Senator Jake Corman, Representative Glenn Grell, Senator Patricia Vance, Representative Kathy Rapp, Representative Mario Scavello and Representative James Shaner. Various legislators who could not attend sent their aides.

Karen Galbraith, Showcase Coordinator, introduced Past President Jack Day, who opened the showcase and welcomed the participants. Sean McDonough, welcomed the group as a representative of the Pennsylvania Department of Education and also a PAECT member. PAECT members Walter Leech, William Craig and Sally Bair also attended both as participants and PAECT representatives.