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World's First Wilderness Technology Summit
Demonstrates New Model for Education
At a lodge in the foothills of Mount Rainier on the last week of August, 1999, thirty at-risk students and their mentors were hard at work creating a CD-ROM of their experiences and research over the past school year. The project is the brainchild of Lou August, president of Trinity Technologies, who is devoted to helping underserved students to become successful learners and productive citizens. August believes that a wilderness/technology experience such as this year's can lead to a new model for education in a high-tech world where students not only become the teachers, but they will learn and perform professional skills that ultimately can sustain the education system.
One hundred At Risk students from 30 Washington School Districts took part in the program. They were trained by industry professionals from Microsoft, Trinity Technology, Fleur-Daniel, Macromedia, the US National Park System, the University of Montana, and others. Their goal was to have the students create a Wilderness Preservation CD-ROM for Mount Rainier's Centennial.
The initial outline for the CD-ROM was created by the University of Washington and University of Montana in January, 1999. The topic was divided into 33 sections, with each assigned to one school district. Students then performed research on these topics during the Spring semester. In July and August of 1999, each student took part in a 3 day backpacking trip in Mount Rainier National Park as part of the Park's Centennial Celebration. Each student was equipped with a digital camera, and during the trip students gathered digital media to be included in their CD-ROM.
During the weekend at the lodge, the students began by assembling computers from scratch. These were the same computers they would use for the remainder of the program. They then learned to connect the computers together in a local area network. The next day, a team of trainers from Macromedia in California, trained the students in CD-ROM skills. Finally, on the last two days, 33 teams consisting of three students and one teacher, produced a wilderness preservation CD-ROM for Mount Rainier's Centennial. They received support from wilderness experts from Mount Rainier National Park, Yosemite National Park, North Cascades National Park, the University of Montana, and the Arthur Carhard National Wilderness Center. The entire project was coordinated through the Internet on the project's web site.
While the students were involved in their two days of intensive training and two days of CD-ROM production, the Technology Coordinators from 30 Washington School Districts were trained in how to utilize students in technology support internships at their school district. This training was conducted by the Technology Directors from the Puyallup School District, Issaquah School District, and Wellpinit School District, as well as the Northwest Center for Emerging Technology.
After completing the training program, students must take part in a one-year technology support internship at their school district. This provides 30 Washington School Districts with much-needed technical support personnel, while providing students with valuable professional job experience in technology. Upon completing the internship, each student will receive a free computer system.
August and his colleagues are setting in motion a long-range, extensive project that may well become a model for programs throughout the country. He believes that the wilderness experience begins to develop important character traits, and the technology training provides students with marketable skills as well successful, collaborative learning experiences. He is currently developing grant proposals to fund the project, which has up to now been funded through his own company, as well as through in-kind contributions and volunteers from other organizations.
Dee Dickinson wrote these observations after visiting the technology camp on Mount Rainier in August, 1999. The camp was founded by Lou August, President of Trinity Technologies. Those interested in further information may contact him at 425 250-1240, or e-mail him at laugust@trinitytech.com.
© October 1999 New Horizons for Learning
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