THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 31, 1996 TAG: 9603290200
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
When it comes to computer proficiency, Chesapeake's Greenbrier kids are tops.
Teams from Greenbrier Primary and Greenbrier Intermediate participated in and won honors at the 11th Great Computer Challenge held March 23 at Smithfield High School in Isle of Wight County.
The Great Computer Challenge has been sponsored each year since 1985 by The Consortium for Interactive Instruction, Old Dominion University and WHRO-TV.
The event has grown so much since 1985 that this year's competition was divided: a junior division for kindergarten through fifth grade, held in Smithfield, and the senior events for grades six through 12, which will be held May 12 at ODU's Webb Center.
With more than 500 children and their teacher sponsors participating, the competition tested computer skills in five categories: graphic arts, primary publishing, desktop publishing, logo programming and telecomputing.
Two teams of second-graders from Greenbrier Primary school participated in the event's Division 1 competition for kindergarten through second grade.
Led by assistant principal Chuck Barnes, one of the teams earned a ``good'' rating in the graphic arts division. Barnes' team - with members Robby Avery, Thomas Castelow and Camille Cowan - rated the honor by designing a robot toy on the computer screen.
The other team - led by teacher Tori Crowford and featuring members Jana MacKercher, Sara Jane Kirby and Meghan Smiley - brought home an ``excellent'' rating in the Division 1 primary publishing category.
Crawford's kids were given the task of creating a tongue twister. The team had to come up with a logical sentence that used at least seven words all beginning with the same consonant. Her team won by composing a 13-word tongue twisting sentence.
``Both Tori Crawford and myself sponsor a Computer Challenge Club at the school,'' Barnes said. ``We have about 38 students in the club and chose team members through teacher recommendations and their computer proficiency.''
Barnes said the entire school is proud of its six computer experts. Last Monday, they were recognized during morning school announcements.
``Everybody had a great time,'' he said. ``I think the competition impressed on our kids just how important technology is becoming.''
And the kids from Greenbrier Intermediate also learned of the importance of technology.
Fifth-grade students from the school, led by third-grade teacher Jennifer Psimas, also brought home honors from the competition.
Psimas said her graphic arts team - with members Jenna Estrada, Laura Patterson and Samantha Thurman - designed a floating city of the future and a vehicle of the future, a luxurious bathtub on wheels.
``I think they really did well, but unfortunately for them their time ran out,'' said Psimas, who also is a member of the school's special technology committee. ``But their design was wonderful. It's not easy to come up with a creative drawing using just a computer mouse. I think they really met the challenge.''
It was her desktop publishing team, though, that really distinguished itself.
The team of David DeLauri, Katrina Hodges and Brian Stauss won a second-place award from a field of 40 other teams.
Psimas said the publishing team had to create and design a certificate lauding the work of someone at the school. She said the three came up with a colorful certificate giving recognition to one of Greenbrier Intermediate's guidance counselors.
``They came through and created a very nice certificate that looks nice in color,'' she said.
Members of both teams were selected through nominations made by teachers. Kids on the publishing team were chosen by teachers, who made their selections from the best student writers at the school. Members of the graphics team were chosen out of a pool of the school's best student artists.
All six students trained once a week since January, working on problems similar to those they would encounter at the competition.
``They learned problem solving,'' Psimas said. ``But the most important thing they learned was how to work together.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by GARY C. KNAPP
Members of Tanner's Creek Elementary team in the computer challenge
are, from left, Amber Harb, Tierra Filhiol and Jeremy Zehr.
by CNB