Technology Program
We call ourselves a technology program because our projects involve the use of computers, cameras, printers and scanners, and we integrate the arts using photographs and calligraphy with Adobe Photoshop Elements and Microsoft WORD. Students learn time management through deadline based projects rewarded with incentive points earned individually and in groups. Students are welcomed to do homework as needed. We encourage students to come to Xperience! for the full 3 years of middle school because the projects become more challenging as they get older.
We also invite 3 or 4 guest per year whom we feel are good role models. This is not a lecture; the students participate in a round table discussion with the guest. This gives the students the opportunity to ask questions about their education path, motivation, and definition of success.
Past guests include Wendy Tokuda (newscaster), Lyrics Born (rapper), Jan Yanehiro (TV personality), Kurt Suzuki (professional baseball player), and Edie and David Ichioka (film makers). We got to interview Kurt in the A’s dugout and Jan at the Academy of Arts studio.
Lessons
In the first year, students begin with lessons in typing, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Microsoft Word, enter contests, create and market greeting cards and learn responsible Internet use. The second year, students become more involved in simple animation and computer maintaince as well as continuing to learn more techniques in Photoshop and Word. Year Three gives them the opportunity to learn photo gallery presentation techniques and to write, direct and produce a claymations video.Projects
Greeting card project is one of student's favorite project. At the beginning of the year, students learn "calligraphy" from Rev. Kawahatsu from Konko church, and scan their calligraphy arts into their computer. Using the calligraphy images, each students create a set of 4 cards with own theme, which they sell to earn money. Students also learn "cost" and "profit". See student's card gallery.
Claymation is another fun project students worked on during school year 2009-2010. The masterpiece was created by the 8th graders and the 7th graders witn an assistance of the 6th graders Malia and Ayame.
| Created by Joshua, Noah and Koken | Created by Nick, Justus and Shoma |
| Created by Aidan, Alana and Tomi | |
