Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from CNYTEEA!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday and a Joyous New Year! The "Santa" above is from a photograph of my late father, André OBJ Lepine. He was and still is my inspiration with my teaching career. He taught Agricultural Education & was a FFA Advisor for 36 years. Additionally he made the holiday season so much fun as he would distribute presents with hand offs, long bombs and around the back passes to all the family on Christmas mornings! We learned at an early age to not give fragile gifts :-)

75th Anniversary Honoree, Phil Gaines reflects on Professionalism and his Legacy

Great example of Design, Drawing for Production

For those DDP, PLW & teachers of design, a friend forwarded me an e-mail they received from a friend. Their college aged son is at a local college studying design. "....Derek and a classmate have designed a new accessory for iPhone and smart phone users. As part of a class assignment it was accepted for funding at Kickstarter and has launched the campaign today. I wanted all of you to know and to see the product, so I've attached the link to it below:


Check it out...if it looks good and you feel you can/want to- pledge a little to show support- great. Or just spread the word to your friends and iPhone users to see if it's a product they want.

It's gotten great buzz and encouragement from the professors at the design school and some high tech professionals who have seen the video.
The factory in China is ready to make them, so if this funding launch works out the Tidytilts will be available early in 2012."

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

“STEM-agedden: FLL, MoonBots & FTC Robotics”

TACNY Jr. Café Scientifique
STEM-agedden: FLL, MoonBots & FTC Robotics
Saturday, December 17, 2011
9:30a.m. - 11:00a.m.
Speakers: Robert A. Payne, MS, and Lisa M. Payne, MS, are the coaches of the New Hartford RoboSpartans, FIRST Tech Challenge Team #4082, a FIRST® LEGO® League team, and a MoonBots team.
Talk Overview: An introduction to LEGO® MINDSTORMS® robotics and robotics initiatives: FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition ofScience and Technology) including FIRST LEGO League (FLL) & FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) as well as FIRST sponsored summer program, MoonBots: A Google Lunar XPRIZE Challenge. Attendees will experience live demonstrations and breakout discussions with student team members on a variety of robots programmed using NXTG and ROBOTIC.
Biography: Bob and Lisa have coached the RoboSpartans as a FIRST? LOGO? League team for two years and are in their second year with a MoonBots & FTC team. The New Hartford RoboSpartans were the 2011 Connecticut FTC Think Award Winners, the 2011 Hudson Valley Connect Award Winners, and have won 12 FLL trophies in 10 tournaments in two years. Bob recently joined Dataport Systems, Inc., in Holland Patent, New York, with 20 years in senior management with regional organizations including VP at both Human Technologies, Inc. and Sturges Manufacturing, Inc. Bob is an adjunct instructor at SUNY Institute of Technology. Lisa is an independent Training & Marketing Communications Consultant with LMP Creative Solutions with 18 years experience with Central New York companies.
About the Technology Alliance of Central New York (“TACNY”):
Founded in 1903 as the Technology Club of Syracuse, the Technology Alliance of Central New York enhances and facilitates the development, growth and advancement of education, awareness and historical appreciation of technology within Central New York. Through its programs and support efforts, TACNY seeks to further serve members, as well as educational groups and institutions with similar missions, and be the key link among technical societies in Central New York.
TACNY Jr. Café Scientifique, founded in 2005, is free, held most 3rd Saturdays, from September to June from 9:30a.m. - 11:00a.m. at the MOST. Participants must be accompanied by an adult and can explore the museum at no cost at the program conclusion.
Reservations are appreciated but not required two days prior to event:
Diane E. Darwish at jrcafe@tacny.org

Monday, December 5, 2011

Why should a young teacher get involved with CNYTEEA/NYSTEEA events?

Last summer, I had the pleasure to interview one of CNYTEEA's 75th Anniversary Honorees, Tom LaClair. I posed the above question to him... I think every Technology Education Teacher should give his response a listen to with some deep thought. Then ask yourself the question... Am I doing enough?

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Update on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7TH TOUR at Comstock Art Facility

Our host for the Wednesday, December 7th Tour, Dusty Herbig, states that everyone should come right to the building (TOUR STARTS @4:00 pm) where the printmaking studios are located ~ The Comstock Art Facility. The building is located directly north of the Carmelo Anthony Center (Manley Fieldhouse). He has worked it out with the parking lot security and we have clearance to park in the lot in front of the building.
Comstock Art Facility
1055 Comstock Ave.
College of Visual & Performing Arts
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY 13210
Dusty will be demonstrating photo-mechanical lithography, and some photo-mechanical letterpress…. and maybe another trick or two just for good measure! He will have a couple assistants, so whatever we demonstrate will result in some printed ephemera you and the others can take home.