THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 30, 1995 TAG: 9504300039
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARIE JOYCE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Brianne Ostrout pushed a button on a computer keyboard, and the machine's screen sprang to life. She watched, along with David Patterson and Tara Donnelly, as the cursor leaped up and down, leaving a trail of blue lines that became the crests and dips of ocean waves.
Then a field of blue spread in a flood from the bottom of the screen to the tops of the waves, filling in the color of the water. Then a small boat was sketched into life, riding low in the turbulent ocean.
Only one problem. The waves were showing through the boat, as if the hull were made of glass.
Brianne, David and Tara all students at Peasley Middle School in Glouchester, didn't groan or sigh with exasperation. They just called up a screen full of codes, leaned forward as one and Brianne started typing at lightning speed.
All around them in the room at Old Dominion University's Webb Center, other teams of middle school students were doggedly working through the same task - drawing a picture of a sailboat in a storm - or one of several other assignments.
The teams were competing against the clock and each other as part of the 10th Annual Great Computer Challenge.
The event attracted roughly 600 students from southeastern Virginia, said Brian Callahan, director of interactive technologies for WHRO-TV, which co-sponsors the program along with ODU and the Consortium for Interactive Instruction. The consortium is an 11-year-old group that tries to help educators use technology in the classroom.
The competition is held ``so students can get together and demonstrate their expertise using computers,'' Callahan said. ``It's astounding how much these kids know.''
The competition has become so popular, he said, that organizers had to split it in two. Last month, students from kindergarten through fifth grade participated in a similar gathering in Newport News; Saturday's event was for grades six through 12. Students compete in topic areas such as graphic arts, music and publishing; or using programming languages or computer applications.
The assignments, such as drawing the boat using a language called Logo, might seem simplistic. But ``you could run a bank with this language,'' said said Bob Lucking, a professor in the College of Education at ODU who helped run the event. ``Don't assume it's childish.'' The problems are designed by Old Dominion University faculty members, who also act as judges.
One of the tests for high school students involved some skills they one day may use in the business world.
Samara Lazernick, Cecil Pagtalunan and Kelly Munson, all juniors at Salem High in Virginia Beach, were using a database to produce reports about participation in extracurricular activities at three schools. Their goal: help the imaginary student body presidents stave off a proposal to cut the programs.
In another room, students were being quizzed on the ``Internet challenge.'' Unlike the other categories, in which students don't see the assignments until the event starts, the Internet competitors do the work ahead of time. On the day of the competition, they're quizzed by a panel of judges.
First-, second- and third-place ribbons are given out, along with lots of honorable mentions, but organizers try to downplay the competitive mood.
After all, said Callahan, the students tend to be pretty smart just to take part. Even if they don't get a ribbon, said Callahan, ``they're really not losing.'' by CNB