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Class of 2010 builds computers!
 The Assembly Room became an assembly line this week as Grade Seven students teamed together to build ten computers. Developed by Steve Bergen, Head of Technology, and Irene McCreery, Head of Middle School, the Build Project required months of planning and two long days of “Factory” work. Applying the skills acquired during last year’s LIP, the girls created Windows-based machines that will be used this year and then dismantled to be rebuilt by next year’s students.
Aided by a microphone, Technology Department members Shana Negin and Neil Martinez orchestrated the event, leading the teams through each step required to build the computer. Groups of six worked together, each student responsible for a different job: a Runner, a Scribe, a Builder, a Photographer, and a Programmer.
Photographers busily snapped digital photos to post on the web; the Programmers created the HTML code for the websites; the Scribes chatted online with Lower School Technology Coordinator Marybeth Burns. Sometimes silently and sometimes loudly, they worked their assigned tasks. The appropriately named Runner was busy running to the central station with a specific question, sometimes gingerly carrying a computer part that did not seem to fit anywhere, Then everyone rotated jobs, taking on a new role and a new responsibility.
Other middle school students and many faculty members arrived for tours of the factory. “Oh, this is so cool” was a repeated refrain. They watched attentively as the builders settled the motherboard into its place. Math Teacher Stan Sterenberg could not stop beaming: “This is great.” Parents, too, joined in, avidly following the updates posted on the CP7 websites. One parent e-mailed “My entire extended family thanks you for the opportunity to share in the class 7 computer building project. Father, Mother, Grandfather, Grandmother, Brother, Sister, first cousin, and staff of our offices enjoyed the interactive experience. We visited the ten computer pages hundreds of times.”
Ms. Burns commented that the online chatting was a highlight of the project. Girls logged on for real-time IM help both from Ms. Burns and from other students. “Do I have to plug in the graphics card now?” queried one group. “Yes,” was the prompt reply from the Scribe of another group, One student who had to leave early due to illness was able to chat from home to keep informed about her team’s progress. Ms. Negin observed, “Everyone cooperated with each other and with me to not only put together a computer but to document the event in real-time.”
As a buzz of activity filled the room, the cry “Guys, it’s working!” elicited shrieks of delight. By the end of the second day, ten satisfied teams booted up their creations, connected them to monitors, and witnessed their successes.
Please view the Build Project webpages.
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Please click here to view the photo gallery.
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