Assistive Technology Open House, March 24

Mary M. Silgals 

               What is technology? A simple definition is whatever makes your work load lighter. At Trident Academy the aim of the assistive technology program is to make a student’s educational workload easier with the use of technology. The new assistive technology lab is filled with technologies that can bridge the educational gap for students who have learning differences. These tools are categorized into 5 groups: listening, math, organization and memory, reading, and writing.

                The library research lab conversion to an assistive technology lab took place in late January of this year. All of the old computers and monitors were replaced with new HP Touch Screen computers with 20” monitors. These computers allow for documents to be “docked” side by side or a document and a website to be opened and viewable at the same time. Students no longer have to go back and forth between what is on the Internet and their working document. The numerous features of these state of the art computers will be demonstrated at our Open House, March 24.

                 Also, on the new computers, software was installed that will help students complete their class work and homework. Worksheets and homework can be scanned and then typed on using one of the software programs. Students in my Research Tech class are becoming experts on all the programs that are installed on the computers, and they will be available to demonstrate them to attendees at the Open House.

                 A new all-in-one scanner/copier/printer was purchased and installed in the lab. This particular hardware allows for scanning materials and converting the text into rich text format. Documents saved in rich text can then be read out loud using one of the three text reading programs that have been installed on each of the computers.

                New to the library and the lab are twelve Kindles which are available for checkout for use in classes. E-readers offer solutions to students with reading difficulties. Font size can be increased, spacing between lines can be increased, and text can be read out loud. Also, built in dictionaries allow quick access to definitions while reading. Our students love them!

                Drop in Thursday, March 24^th to see what our assistive technology lab has to offer. My Research Tech students are looking forward to showing off our new lab and the great resources that we can provide!

Locked-In The Library

Mary Silgals

What can be more fun than an overnighter in the library? No, I was not cataloguing or shelving books or dusting at midnight, but instead I was having a great time giggling and chatting with five of our high school girls and one of our former graduates.

The idea of a lock-in came about last year when the Twilight Club met every Wednesday in the library.  The club members had planned on going to all the Twilight movies together which would allow us to meet and talk about how the movies were different than the books. Unfortunately, the third movie was released over the summer. I was in Denver at the time, and we were not able to all get together to view it. So, it was decided that we would have to get together one weekend night and have a marathon Twilight Saga evening dedicated to watching all three of the videos one after another.

The date was set to have the event on February 25, and at 6pm the girls arrived carrying with them their sleeping bags. The evening consisted of pizza, snacks, and 10 hours of video, midnight basketball in the gym, hide ‘n go seek with cell phones, and finding Edward in ten places in the building. (For those who aren’t in the know, Edward is the main character in the series, along with Bella, in the hugely popular teenage series).

Monday morning the inquiries began. How much sleep did you get? Average: one hour. Was there any drama? No, just twenty minutes of searching for one student who hid too well. Would you do it again? In a heart beat! The evening created memories that all of us girls will hold dear for many years. Next time, I must remember to have chair races in the darkened halls, and most of all, to listen closely for the sounds of children laughing and talking in the LEAD hallways. Two girls swore they heard them!

Mountain Music Comes to the Lowcountry

Mary Alice Satterfield

Clapping hands, tapping toes, smiling faces, and do-si-dos: all come together when Jeff Robbins is in the house doing what he loves best—playing mountain music. He has an engaging way and relates easily to children of all ages.

His knowledge of Mountain Music and the instrumentation it uses is broad—he has just the right accompaniment for each song. He brings a number of instruments to have available for performances. Guitar, banjos, fiddle, dulcimer, and mandolin are all on stage—each cradled in an instrument stand—ready and waiting to be used. Jeff plays all of them very well. On certain songs he uses a jaw harp which adds a signature twang to the mountain sound.

All of these elements were present on Tuesday, February 15, when students and teachers gathered in Trident Academy’s Multi-Purpose Room. The stage lights were reflected in the shiny woods used in the making of instruments Jeff was to play. Excited anticipation filled the room. We were ready for a good time.

The show began with energy that was sustained throughout the entire performance. Jeff’s enthusiasm was contagious! As hands kept time to music, All of us could not help but sing along. Happy responses were displayed by our applause and big smiles. One song kept us singing and laughing as we tried to make the correct motions for “Honk! Honk! Rattle, Rattle, Rattle, Crash! Beep! Beep!” Another favorite was “Sit Down Square Dance” during which Jeff “called” the motions to be made. The fact that the all of us remained in our seats did not mean that the movements we made were passive. It was fun!

Before and after the performance, Jeff and his wife Marci, presented workshops for the students. Each boy and girl made a “One String Pork-N-Bean Guitar” from a tin can brought from home that became attached to a piece of wood 2½ X15-20 inches. A guitar string, a nail, and an eye screw were used to finish the transformation into a bona fide, playable instrument. It is probably a sure thing that the guitars made that day will last a good while. Just seeing one sitting on a shelf will serve as a great way to call to mind a wonderful afternoon singing and playing with Jeff Robbins--one of the best mountain music ambassadors there is. What a treat!

                                                                                     

                                                                                    Mary Alice Satterfield

A Night to Remember

Rhonda McKenna

 I have recently witnessed a newsworthy event that I felt needed to be shared. It was Trident Academy’s Homecoming! The basketball was very exciting, but I have to admit what made the night memorable for me was watching my daughter stand in front of the entire crowd with an amazingly huge smile across her face. This was her first experience for being nominated Homecoming Queen. Not only was she beautiful, she was happy! In order to truly appreciate this event you have to know my daughter. She is not the kind of girl who likes being center of attention at all. In fact, it truly is something she struggles with. She has always worked so hard at blending in throughout her school career. If the teachers didn’t notice her, they wouldn’t single her out and make her feel badly about what she didn’t know. Now that she is a student at Trident Academy, she feels more confident about herself and is beginning to appreciate being recognized for who she is -- a lovely young lady who learns differently. She had the confidence that night to stand in front of a very crowded gymnasium full of parents, faculty, and her peers. I know how nervous she was because I watched her carefully walk down our stairs in her heels (which is not a normal shoe choice of hers) with a look on her face asking me if she could really go through with this. This was something she never would have done two years ago, and the fact that she was able to follow through with this event speaks volumes. I truly get very emotional when I think about how far she has come and how supportive this school has been in getting her there. She is having experiences she never would in another school setting. Although she did not get crowned Homecoming Queen that evening, the memory will be with her forever. Thank you Trident for helping my daughter realize how amazing she is!

Rhonda McKenna
Proud mother of Senior Fallon McKenna

A Student's Voice Part 2

Austin Thompson
Editor's Note: Austin wrote this essay in Writers' Workshop and was willing to share it with our community.

When I was ten years old, I was told I had dyslexia. At that time all my academic problems were explained to me so that I could understand them. My mom then discovered Trident Academy, a school for students with learning differences. The first year I went to Trident, I was in 5^th grade, and I could hardly read. I would do anything to get out of reading in front of anyone. It wasn't that I did not want to read; it was that I knew that I would mess up, and I would be embarrassed.

A Student's Voice

Luke Jeresaty

Editor's Note: Luke wrote this essay in Writers' Workshop and was willing to share it with our community.

        In the fifth grade, despite being considered as one of the smartest students in my grade, I was a mess. I felt like I couldn't get through a day without absolutely going crazy in my head. I was convinced that I would not survive middle school, let alone high school. However, the next year, we moved to South Carolina and found Trident Academy. My biggest trouble was in a class like Science, when the teacher would give the class directions, and I wouldn't understand them. At Trident, if that happened, I got enough individual attention so I would understand it. Also, if I lost anything, which happened a lot, teachers at Trident would be able to help me look for it, and come up with systems to help me stay organized.

       Before I came to Trident Academy, I felt like my classes were too large and that I couldn't get the individual attention that I needed to help me with my organization. Now, I can learn with nothing holding me back. My organization still isn't perfect, but the teachers at Trident have helped me improve. At Trident Academy, I can experience new exciting things, such as competing in a Math Meet or visiting a foreign country.

       Some classes at Trident Academy feel unique, such as the LEAD classes, where students who need it are given individual help with reading skills. You can also take Writers' Workshop classes, which are small-group classes that specialize in the process of informative and creative writing. All of the teachers at Trident Academy are excellent. They all understand the students' strengths and weaknesses, and what they need to help them learn.

The winner for the best opening line is ...........

Julie Stephenson

I love being amazed by our students! Earlier this year, I had my high school Writers Workshop students enter the First Line Writing Contest, which was sponsored by Scope magazine. Students submitted their very best opening lines for a story, and entries were judged by renowned young adult writer Pam Munoz Ryan. Last week I found out that our very own ninth grader Frankie Holmes is a finalist in the contest! According to a spokeswoman from Scope, Frankie’s first line was selected from thousands of entries. His picture and contest entry will be featured on the Scope website in April. Way to go, Frankie!