St. Marys students finalists in national contest

ST. MARYS - St. Marys Intermediate School students have made the cut as one of five national finalists for grades K-5 in the first Compass Learning Classroom Refresh Contest showing how technology makes learning better.

"We were really excited to hear that we were a finalist in our grade category," principal Lisa Elson said.

The contest, which kicked off Sept. 19, is sponsored by Compass Learning, an educational software company from Austin, Texas.

The five finalists were selected from more than 120 submissions in their grade category. Pick Elementary School, Auburn, Ala.; Conway Elementary School, Conway, S.C.; Westridge Elementary School, Frankfort, Ky.; and Jess Harben Elementary School, Richardson, Texas, are competing against St. Marys.

The competition challenged students and teachers to produce a music video demonstrating how technology can benefit and enhance classroom instruction.

St. Marys' 2 1/2-minute-long video, entitled "We Wish We All Would Use Technology More," is set to the tune of the Beach Boys' "California Girls" and showcases how the students use technology and how it has changed over time.

April Johns, a third-grade teacher; Scott Newcomb, a fourth-grade teacher; Joe Ginter, a fifth-grade teacher; Dan Cook, guidance counselor; and Stephanie Kramer, music teacher, teamed up with several students to produce the video, Elson said.

"The students had fun with the project and were comfortable with it since we do so many videos in our building. Technology is such a big part in how the kids learn," Elson said.

The music video features snippets of students in class using various technologies and working in the computer lab.

A few students who worked on the video discussed their favorite parts.

"I liked the end when Hunter (another student) walked out. It was not meant to be taped. He just did it, and it looked like it was supposed to be there," fifth-grader Carly Overley said.

"I like that we used actual news crew video footage in the project," fifth-grader Ty Kiehl said.

The news crew is an activity for fifth-graders, Elson said. Both Kiehl and Overley said they enjoy it.

Elson said third-graders use educational software for learning while the other grades use more technology. Fourth-grader Jaden Lotz said the class uses iPads for various learning programs.

"We use document cameras, projectors and the fifth-graders do the news every day," Kiehl said.

The students agreed using technology has been fun.

"I just wish I could use it more," fifth-grader Hunter Clouser said.

Elson and the staff learned of the contest through an e-mail from Compass Learning.

"We thought it would be a perfect opportunity for the school," Elson said.

The winning K-5 school will receive a classroom makeover package including 25 Google Chromebooks, two days of professional development, a smartboard and other learning software, hardware and support packages from Compass Learning, worth about $57,000.

Videos are judged by a panel and the public on overall creativity and spirit, the effectiveness of expressing how technology enhances personalized learning in the classroom and the production quality of the video.

Each finalist will receive a one-year site license for the Renzulli Learning online program, which helps students analyze text, research and solve problems and offers virtual professional development opportunities valued at $5,800.

The public can vote from among finalists at www.classroomrefreshcontest.com.

Instructions can also be found on the St. Marys City Schools website. Voting runs through Dec. 1., with grand prize winners announced Dec. 10.

"We're the only school in the region, in Ohio, in the competition still. People can vote once every day," Elson said.