ALA Final Showdown!!!

Objective: The Applied Learning Academy DesignIT teens had their final showcase event. The Squirrel's group will be presenting their movie and the Moose's group will display their Diet Coke and Mentos to their parents, special guests from Houston Children Museum, and other wandering guest.

Time: May 23, 2007... at 12pm-3pm

Activity: After planning the cycles for the past year the ALA DesignIT teens has completed every event that was presented to them. It was a bittersweet day to watch the teens present their final showcase. Although each teen were relieve to be finishing up the cycles, they were also sad to be leaving their Middle School days and entering the world of High School life. The Squirrels came into the studio around 10am to finish up their movie. The Moose's, that was not needed to help with the Squirrel's video, worked on their Diet Coke and Mentos presentation.

Noon rolled by quickly for everyone. There was a nervous feel that came from the teens. Some asked if their movie was "good enough" to show their parents, staff, peers from the school, and the special guest from Houston. I could tell that they really wanted the best out of their movie. My only calming statement that I could muster for them was "the fact that they tried doing their on the video. That alone has been appreciate and will be recognize." After dragging the last group into the viewing area (Room 7, in courtesy towards Museum School for letting us used the room) the teens prepare the make their speech about their film. The films were great! The audience laugh and asked very good questions to the young directors. As shown in the picture above, Taylor, Nick, and Breck, made a funny film with great bloopers.

By one o'clock, the audience moved outside to watch the Moose's Diet Coke and Mentos. The Mooses had only 1 day out of each week to play with Diet Coke and Mentos with the use of cricket and sensors. Which meant that they only had 3 days to play with their ideas. Each teen were allowed to partner up and present their idea. The Moose's teen soon realize that some ideas were better on paper. Not all the Diet Coke and Mentos worked but they enjoyed being splash with the Diet Coke and the audience were supportive.

After the Diet Coke and Mentos, the parents and our guest came back inside to start the party. We had everyone get in line for the food then sit down for a 19 minute video Eric (the DesignIT computer genius) and I worked on for the 8th graders that will be leaving for high school. At this moment, a special appreciation towards Eric Oeur, who had worked so hard on the ALA's slideshow. He did is best to use my ideas and his own to create a great video that I wanted the 8th graders to remember. The teens did liked it and some were even emotional. There were plenty of hugs and thank you's after the video.

It is a great moment every time to watch the ALA DesignIT teen make a goal and accomplish it.

DesignIT teens watch the peers film...

Stephanie and Allie set off their Diet Coke and Mentos...

Joe creates crossbow to set off his Diet Coke and Mentos.

ALA Pico Showcase!

When asked to recount the experiences of creating a city, one usually responds with a befuddled, confused face.
"A city? That's going to take forever! That sounds so hard!"
Fortunately, this isn't the case for our ALA DesignIT interns.
"Oh, a city? Whoa. Let's make a casino!"
A few weeks ago, the lovely Sammie brought an idea to the table- the creation of an interactive city using programmable PICO crickets. The city would include lights, sensors, light-relays, motors and of course our DesignIT Teens in miniature form.

Mini-Teens in the Pico City!

Here is a project where the imagination of each DesignIT Teen is put to the test. A mixture of team work, interaction with the public, and technological expertise in programming is showcased. The result...

ALA Teens Showcase Work

The imaginations of the ALA teens seemed to flourish in this project. Buildings ranged from a Pico-Sound Sensitive Grocery store to a light-relay back to back casino. Stephanie created a hotel featuring the DesignIT Staff, Interns and her friends from ALA. On top of the casino, she created a roller coaster, which activated whenever someone yelled, "Go!" in the PICO sensor.

Stephanie with her PicoScrapper


When the students worked the PicoVegas showcase on Friday and Saturday night, they all acknowledged a difference in crowds compared to the daytime crowds during the week. They pointed out that there were not only kids (which they were used to) but parents as well. It was then said that it was harder to get the museum patrons involved PicoVegas. Although this may have hindered their willing to try to interact with the public, they went out and brought children and parents to see their project. The result...

a success!