Two dozen Adair County students, ranging in age from elementary to high school, traveled Monday morning to Somerset to compete in the Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) Regional Showcase. All four schools in the district were represented and each brought a unique example of how technology has been utilized to enhance the educational experience.
“Each school’s project was student-driven and their work was amazing,” says District Technology Director Carla Perkins. “I’m very proud of our students and their sponsors.”
Schools from all over central Kentucky competed Monday, and judges scored each individual presentation. Any school with a score of 85 or better will move on to state competition in Lexington, Ky. next April. While the scores have yet to be made public, the judges were complimentary of each Adair County entry.
Adair County High School’s STLP team, coordinated by Jenny Myers, presented a video, made by seniors, to be shown to future students at the school. The clip shows pictures and words of wisdom from students in this year’s senior class. “My students and Katie Curry’s advanced media arts class collaborated to create a senior video that includes advice from any senior that wanted to participate,” Myers says. “The group used multiple forms of technology, and the video will be used for years to come.” ACHS students in attendance at the competition included Trevor Cowan, Sara Dunbar, Maddie Loy, Tyler Miller, Erwin Ruczienski, and Michaela Watson. Seniors Katherine Curry, Linsey Grant, and Chloe Hixson also worked on the project but were unable to attend.
For the middle school’s entry, school STLP coordinator Adam Cox’s group presented a Google tutorial, explaining how to use Google docs and other related programs. “This is an excellent opportunity for students to share a product that they’ve been working on with people that hold similar interests,” Cox says. “These experiences brought out the best in my students and showed their great ability to work together toward a common goal, and I’m really proud of their hard work.” ACMS students at the competition included Ian Grant, Jonathan Melton, Blaise Wall, Colton Wall, and Chad Wiley.
The younger students’ entries were just as impressive. With one of the more creative entries, Sarah Dean’s Adair Elementary students showed a student-produced newscast, “ACES Faces,” and explained the utilization of technology that went into the project. The mission of the newscast is to “provide relevant and current school events to students, parents, and community members,” while being models of student leadership and making a positive impact in the community.
Five students – Addie Baker, Gabe Coleman, Sofia Coleman, Jasper Kemp, and Lilly Myers – represented Adair County Primary Center at the competition. Taking the ambitious approach of presenting “12 Easy Ways to Save the Planet,” their booth was a hit among judges and fellow students alike. School STLP coordinator Laura Marcum’s students were well-prepared and enthusiastic as they explained simple conservation solutions to problems like food waste, overuse of plastic, and superfluous energy use.
Overall, the day was a rousing success for the entire district, and the students earned every bit of the praise they received from judges and fellow students. This was the first-ever STLP showcase to feature representatives from each of the district’s four schools. “Adair County was definitely well represented,” Perkins says.
By Wes Feese
Media Relations, Adair County Schools