1) How did your activities and research for this International School CyberFair project support your required coursework and curriculum requirements?
*Our school is proud of its emphasis on environmental awareness and computer literacy. This project fit perfectly with the mission of our school. The project allowed us to set some of our goals into action by allowing the students "hands on" awareness of the computer. Not only did they provide the drawings for display and stories to publish, they actually typed the stories to complete the web pages we present. We worked as a cooperative group, brainstorming and sharing ideas.
As a result of our project we understand exactly where our community is in terms of the recycling issue and that recycling depends on consumers and a market. So some simple economic ideas went hand in hand with this project. This was a subject that we had no idea that we would have to tackle. We learned that as a home school we are able to compete with others technologically and the students felt good about that as did I as their teacher. We had used the internet in the past to touch on the issue of endangered animals, for example, but we never had completed an entire project with the intent of publishing an internet document. In conclusion, I think that the students took more care in preparing their input as they knew the world could potentially view their work.
2) What information tools and technologies did you use to complete your CyberFair project?
* In completing this project we used telephones, digital still cameras, scanners, computer software, the Fort Scott Public Library, books and newspapers, oral and written interviews. Fortunately all of these tools are readily available locally. We are equipped with telephones, digital cameras, a scanner, computer software, books and newspapers and email for the written interviews. The difficulty is that the students and myself are not the people who normally use the computer equipment. Instead of Mr. Hendrix assisting the teacher, Mrs. Hendrix had to learn how to assist the students in using this equipment. It was much more difficult than what we had anticipated.
The tools were of great use. We took pictures at the local library, developed them on the computer and published them to the internet with some assistance. The software was confusing at times but certainly accomplished the task. The students had the excitement of typing most of their stories to appear on the web pages. They were amazed at what they had done independently after a save and a preview.
I believe the participation in this project went far beyond what we normally do for computer science. With such a successful project as their foundation, we believe that the students have a strong background to pursue computer learning in the future. It was most interesting to watch our young student type. She did quite well and web design and email is quite an accomplishment at her age.**
3) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.
* The students contacted local leaders in person, through letters and via the telephone. Email was used for our survey of the Earth Rainbow Network Members. An interesting sideline to the survey that was conducted is that it was suggested that a book be published to spread the message of how children can impact their environment by doing positive things for the earth. The students were very flattered that their work was considered an ideal for other children to follow.
In person contacts made at the library and with local officials were very important in that the children had to explain their project to members of the community. We found that community members were amazed that we had undertaken such a difficult project and were very receptive to helping the students. As a result the students feel a great deal of pride in their project and their accomplishments. They are very aware of issues surrounding the need for clean water and clean air as well as the issues we addressed. They are very verbal about environmental awareness in normal everyday conversations.**
4) What has been the impact of your project on your community?
*As we are just putting our pages up for viewing this is hard to assess how the web pages have impacted our community. It is our belief that we are one of the first schools in our immediate locality to become involved in such a project. We are proud of our accomplishments, both completing the project and publishing it to the internet.
We feel a new closeness with our Mayor and Town Council as a result of this project. We were happy and surprised of their interest in Backyard Habitats. We are looking foreward to their tree planting program, whether it involves the entire town or the Community Center. We were pleased to provide the information we had acquired to them for the benefit of the greater community. We were also very proud of our recycling/reusing brochure. We hope that this addresses a community need and increases public awareness in regard to the recycling issue.
The most unique part of this project is that instead of doing what we wanted we called and wrote to community officials. We determined what seemed to be a community need after gathering information. Then we completed our project based on what was an identified need. Finally, as a result of the internet we are able to share our accomplishments with others - locally and globally. **
5) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?
* We were thankful to Dannie Hendrix for providing technical assistance and advice. Locally we were thankful for the positive response we received from the City of Fulton, and the Fort Scott Public Library. Tom Swan of Kansas Wildlife and Parks provided all of the wonderful information about local endangered species. Kansas Department of Health and Environment provided local resources such as Dave Burnett from the Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission and posters with their logo. Dave Burnett informed us of all of the local recycling opportunities and that the information was in a large format at the County Engineer's Office. The National Wildlife Federation and Kansas Wildlife and Parks were helpful in providing Backyard Wildlife Habitat information and certification. The Kansas Department of Conservation was invaluable with their information about affordable trees. A big thanks goes to Governor Graves for the support of our projects. Ken Brunson, Kansas Wildlife and Parks pointed us to internet resources. The Earth Rainbow Network submitted to our survey and the Peace 2000 web site and staff were helpful and supportive to our cause. Thanks to everyone locally and far away for your help, support and assistance in completing this project. **
6) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises
* Optional Question 6: Our biggest surprise was how receptive the city of Fulton was to our projects. It seems that they recently adopted a PRIDE program and were looking for the information that we had already researched.
Update 3/22/98 - It seems important to note several other surprises.
First, we let Kid's F.A.C.E. know that we wanted to link our project to their page and to the "One in a Million" tree planting campaign. A representative wrote us and asked that we send pictures of our tree planting activities.
Secondly, we have had lots of support from the Fort Scott Page at Backwoods Entertainment - a connection we made over the internet.
Third, just two weeks ago the city of Fulton was awarded $750 from Kansas Parks and Wildlife through Bourbon County to pursue the PRIDE project and to work to make the Community Center into a Backyard Wildlife Habitat.
Fourth, after looking at some other pages in our Geocities Community we signed some guestbooks. As a result we received several awards for our pages in the mail and received positive feedback about our pages from others in the internet community!
Finally, we added to our habitat project today thanks to Gene's IGA, a grocery store in Fort Scott that gave free trees to the public! Thank you Gene, for your concern about our planet.
Update 3/31/98 -
We would like to recognize the efforts of Walmart Auto Centers as we just discovered that they recycle used antifreeze, oil and tires brought to them by consumers. Thank you for helping our community.**