SOUTH POINT – One South Point High School teacher is trying to raise the educational bar and introduce her students to the ever-changing world of graphic design.

Wednesday, November 21, 2001

SOUTH POINT – One South Point High School teacher is trying to raise the educational bar and introduce her students to the ever-changing world of graphic design.

Students in Brenda McKee’s tech prep interactive media class will soon have the tools used in the graphic design field at their fingertips, enabling them to enter college ahead of or equal to their larger-city counterparts.

The project is funded through a federal grant administered by the Ohio SchoolNet Commission. The commission funds technology education ­ an education that according to reports from the U.S. Department of Labor could lead to jobs with salaries listed well above the national average when compared to other four-year degrees.

"The grant will offer students the opportunity to gain real-world experience while in high school," McKee said. She added that the class will "enhance the students’ opportunities for success in their future academic or vocational pursuits."

The program’s concept is to demonstrate real-world applications to the lessons taught in the classroom. Students will design multimedia projects, participate in internships in order to gain "enhanced and realistic expectations for success in the future."

Students also will take on the role of teachers. As soon as they master software programs, students will train teachers on how to use software such as Adobe Photoshop – a graphic design industry benchmark program used in photo manipulation and design – and Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. Once teachers are trained, they can fulfill the grant’s other goal – incorporating multimedia technology into the classroom.

In order to start the program, McKee has to start at ground zero, purchasing the equipment used in the graphic design field. Currently, there is only a few computer labs for student use and the school does not own fundamental equipment such as digital cameras, video projectors and multimedia software.

By providing students with access to technology, teachers will not only increase the students’ exposure to the rapid-changing technology field, but also enable teachers to shore up lessons in English, math and history by adding a technology component.

In the future, students will work with the district’s Web site, opening the door for Web-based classes and "virtual chalkboards" where teachers and students alike can interact with one another raising – and reshaping – the face of education at South Point High School.