[YL] Middle School Programs

Wed Oct 4 11:11:13 EDT 2006

Dear Ann,

My wife and I developed a very successful afterschool program at Shelburne 
Middle School in Staunton, Virginia. The program centered on digital media 
production, with an emphasis on video planning and production. The program 
ran for four years and was used by the Department of Education as a model 
example of a 21st Century afterschool grant program. The only reason the 
program didn't continue was a lack of financial support by the school 
system.

Students volunteered for the program and were treated like employees in a 
professional production studio. The equipment and techniques we used 
reflected state-of-the-art media technology. The students were assigned to 
crews of four and "worked" on daily projects as they learned media 
production. The program included planning, production, and post-production 
of video products; lighting; audio production; digital art and animation, 
and digital photography.

Because of the number of cameras and workstations, we limited the program to 
24 students. Since I was the only instructor, I taught 12 students on 
Mondays and Wednesdays, and 12 students on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The crews 
were known as Mowees and Tuthurs. Each day we worked and learned for two 
hours. My wife, Anne, was director of the program and my boss, at the time. 
It was how we met.

The program was so successful, we were asked by school administrators to 
develop a digital technology class as an elective for the regular school 
curriculum. I collaborated with the technology teacher who helped develop 
approved lesson plans. Together we taught 84 students per semester and had a 
waiting list of over 200 more students. The school had a student population 
of about 500.

The program ran from 2000 to 2004 and many of our students have recently 
graduated from high school. One student was valedictorian of his class and 
graduated magna cum laude. Several other Mowees and Tuthers graduated cum 
laude. Anne and I are extremely proud of our students and the program they 
helped make a success. Professors from Mary Baldwin College and Blue Ridge 
Community College acknowledged that our program was even more comprehensive 
then the video programs offered in their communications departments and that 
our equipment was better. Several communications students from Mary Baldwin 
studied as interns in our program.

Currently, I am an independent contractor teaching video production to 
teachers in the Greene County Public School system, here in Virginia. I am 
hoping that some of these teachers have the passion and time to institute an 
afterschool video program similar to the one Anne and I developed. With SOLs 
and the pressures of NCLB mandates, the reality of seeing such a program 
develop is very remote.

I don't know if you have a teacher or professional producer/director with 
the time and experience to develop such a program for your school. I only 
know we changed the lives of many students with our program, and only wish 
it could have continued.

Best of luck.

Sincerely,

Paul Grassler

(540) 886-2567

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Emerson, Ann" <aemerson at harwich.edu>
To: <youthlearn at milhouse.edc.org>
Sent: Friday, September 29, 2006 11:16 AM
Subject: [YL] Middle School Programs

> HI,
> I need some assistance on how to draw middle school students to after
> school programs.  I have offered sports, homework help, cooking etc. No
> one is signing up. Is anyone running a successful program and give some
> advice???
> Thank you,
> Ann
>
> Ann B. Emerson
> Program Coordinator
> Harwich Community Learning Center Programs
> PO 759 Harwich Port, MA 02646
>
> Phone: 508-430-2355
> Fax: 508-430-7224
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: youthlearn-bounces at milhouse.edc.org
> [mailto:youthlearn-bounces at milhouse.edc.org] On Behalf Of
> Rosemary.Hayward at state.sd.us
> Sent: Friday, September 22, 2006 2:34 PM
> To: youthlearn at milhouse.edc.org
> Subject: Re: [YL] youth workers professional development
>
> Mary:
>
> I noted on their website, though, that you have to have a member sign
> in.  I know they have wonderful resources, but does anyone know if
> programs other than B&Gs can access those; or order some of their
> materials if not a registered B&G?
>
> Rosemary Hayward
> Program Specialist/Out of School Time Development
> Dept. of Social Services - Div. of Child Care Services
> 700 Governor's Drive
> Pierre, SD  57501
> Phone:  605-773-6432; or 1(800)227-3020 Ext. 6432
> FAX:  605-773-7294
> Email:  Rosemary.Hayward at state.sd.us
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: youthlearn-bounces at milhouse.edc.org
> [mailto:youthlearn-bounces at milhouse.edc.org] On Behalf Of Mary furnas
> Sent: Friday, September 22, 2006 9:15 AM
> To: youthlearn at milhouse.edc.org
> Subject: Re: [YL] youth workers professional development
>
> Hi everyone -
>
> Utilizing your local Boys & Girls Clubs as partners to your existing
> program
> is a great option for you. You can continue doing what you do best and
> let
> the BGC provide the other programs as a collaborative partner.  See more
> about our programs on www.BGCA.org
>
> Mary
>
> Mary Furnas
> mfurnas at bgca.org
> 402-421-4601
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: youthlearn-bounces at milhouse.edc.org
> [mailto:youthlearn-bounces at milhouse.edc.org] On Behalf Of Charlene
> Johnson
> Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2006 5:44 PM
> To: youthlearn at milhouse.edc.org
> Subject: Re: [YL] youth workers professional development
>
> Hi,
>
> We have after school programming at all of our Middle Schools.    Part
> of our staff development has been to help them explore different types
> of programs (arts, physical motion, outside presenters, model building,
> etc) to ensure tat our youth participants had something different to do
> each day.  We also provided sample activity planning guides to be used
> monthly so that staff AND youth participants would know what was coming
> up and have something to look forward to.  Often the enthusiasm of the
> youth for a particular program/activity or presenters made the
> difference and we've continued to build on their progress.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
>
>
> Charlene Johnson MA
>
> Manager
> Youth Development
> Loudoun County PRCS
> (703) 777-0392
>
>>>> bigchainring at hotmail.com 9/21/2006 5:51 PM >>>
> hi everyone
>
> I'm working with staff (group leaders) across different ymcas to get
> them to
> lead more educational/structured activities.
> It has been a struggle.
> Has anybody else been successful in making a transition from computer
> lab
> time being video game time to projects/activities?
> What has convinced staff to change?
>
> I think it is a great professional development opportunity, but I'm not
> sure
> how to approach it.
>
> thanks.
> matt
>
>
>
> ==================================
> Matt Crichton
> CyberY Developer
> YMCA Boston/Training, Inc.
> 18 Tremont St.; Suite 400
> Boston, MA  02108
> 617-542-1800 x32
> mcrichton at ymcaboston.org
> bigchainring at hotmail.com
> Cyber Y: http://www.cyberyboston.org/
> Personal: http://www20.brinkster.com/bigchainring/index.htm
> AmeriCorps VISTA 2000-2002 (Seattle, Boston)
>
> We all leave a sprinkling of cairns behind us,||
> And hope at least a few others will find them||
> Or hear their humming in the wind.||
> Make it a practice of taking a splash||
> When passing a puddle.||
> Slow down, engineers!||
> I hang out at the intersection of entropy and creation||
> Hoping to catch something wild and new.||
> David Kelly-Hedrick||
>
>
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> YouthLearn (http://www.youthlearn.org) brings together youth
> professionals
> to share information on using technology to create exciting learning
> environments. YouthLearn was created by the Morino Institute
> (http://www.morino.org) and is now an Initiative at the Education
> Development Center (http://www.edc.org). We hope this list assists you
> in
> your efforts to make a difference in the lives and potential of young
> people.
>
> Tips:
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> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> YouthLearn (http://www.youthlearn.org) brings together youth
> professionals to share information on using technology to create
> exciting learning environments. YouthLearn was created by the Morino
> Institute (http://www.morino.org) and is now an Initiative at the
> Education Development Center (http://www.edc.org). We hope this list
> assists you in your efforts to make a difference in the lives and
> potential of young people.
>
> Tips:
> * To post a message to this group, send an email to:
> YouthLearn at mailman.edc.org
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> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> YouthLearn (http://www.youthlearn.org) brings together youth
> professionals to share information on using technology to create
> exciting learning environments. YouthLearn was created by the Morino
> Institute (http://www.morino.org) and is now an Initiative at the
> Education Development Center (http://www.edc.org). We hope this list
> assists you in your efforts to make a difference in the lives and
> potential of young people.
>
> Tips:
> * To post a message to this group, send an email to:
> YouthLearn at mailman.edc.org
>
> * To subscribe or unsubscribe from this list or to change your list
> information, visit http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/youthlearn
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> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> YouthLearn (http://www.youthlearn.org) brings together youth professionals 
> to share information on using technology to create exciting learning 
> environments. YouthLearn was created by the Morino Institute 
> (http://www.morino.org) and is now an Initiative at the Education 
> Development Center (http://www.edc.org). We hope this list assists you in 
> your efforts to make a difference in the lives and potential of young 
> people.
>
> Tips:
> * To post a message to this group, send an email to: 
> YouthLearn at mailman.edc.org
>
> * To subscribe or unsubscribe from this list or to change your list 
> information, visit http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/youthlearn
> http://www.youthlearn.org/join/subscribe.html
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> * Search the YouthLearn archives at 
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> * To contact the list facilitator, send an email to: info at youthlearn.org 