Tag Archives: Providence School

Coding Meets Community at Providence School

Posted on by
Coding Meets Community at Providence School, originally published in Santa Barbara Independent on November 19, 2020.

Coding Meets Community at Providence School, originally published in Santa Barbara Independent on November 19, 2020.

Students Create App to Connect Kids with Nonprofits

Challenged by their teachers in their coding class to create some sort of an app, Providence Engineering Academy junior Sydney Whited and sophomore Ruby Kilpper created the Santa Barbara Volunteer Opportunities (SBVO) app, matching service-minded students to volunteer-seeking nonprofits.

Coding wasn’t either one of the girls’ favorite aspects of engineering prior to the project. But Kilpper explained, “I like to tackle each problem on its own and each assignment on its own, so I kept an open mind, and I really ended up enjoying it.”

Inspired in part by Whited’s experience with the National Charity League’s sign-up program for volunteering, the pair designed the SBVO to improve on that concept with an easier interface and a bit more emphasis on the types of work (homeless services, elderly, special
needs, children, animals, etc.) that might interest students. The idea is to find a service opportunity with the best fit for you.

“Especially in the beginning of the app, I was definitely the brainstormer,” said Whited. “But Ruby was the go-getter the whole time,” she said, recalling the various challenges they went through to create the project. “Having a one-step signup was something we thought would really increase the amount of student volunteers in Santa Barbara.”

The girls were recognized for their creative efforts by Representative Salud Carbajal, who presented them with the Congressional App Challenge award on January 6, 2020, and invited them to a reception at the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. “My office and I looked at all the entries,” Carbajal told them. “It was a very competitive pool, but your app rose to the top very quickly. It was innovative, practical, and user friendly. Concept-wise it is very strong, but the way you approached it was very well executed.”

The students were excited to go to D.C. to participate in the annual #HouseOfCode on March 24, but that was canceled due to the pandemic. Additionally, work on the app, which is still in the development and testing stage, was derailed a bit when school went online last spring. But with Providence students back in class as of mid-October, Whited
and Kilpper are hoping to continue to fine-tune SBVO and eventually make it available for the whole community to use.

providencesb.org

SB Independent Cover, Schools of Thought, November 19, 2020.

SB Independent Cover, Schools of Thought, November 19, 2020.

Originally published in the Santa Barbara Independent on November 19, 2020. To read the section as it appeared in print, please click here.

 

2019 Schools of Thought: The State of Education in Santa Barbara

Posted on by

In taking a look at the latest news and trends related to education in Santa Barbara County, it’s clear that there is an impressive breadth and depth of learning opportunities here in town. From the readers and writers workshop model to incorporating mindfulness practices, social-emotional learning, Latin studies, highly experiential learning, and meshing digital design with fine art traditions, educators are working hard to develop strategies that work for the ways individual students learn best. 

This special section was developed by asking the issue’s sponsors to suggest story ideas based on people, projects, or trends that they’re excited about in their schools and organizations. From that list, we selected stories that represent a wide variety of learning experiences in Santa Barbara and produced the editorial content independently. 

We hope you enjoy it and learn something new about learning! 

African Adventures for Laguna Blanca’s Zack Moore

AHA!’s Peace Builders Put Social-Emotional Education First

Bodhi Path Offers Enlightened View of Technology

Fielding Grad Mallory Price Leads for Literacy

Providence Launches Innovative Design Program 

Raising S.B.’s Next Generation of Teachers 

Saint Therese Academy Provides a Latin Advantage 

SBCC Auto Tech Gears Up For The Future

SBCC Brings the World to the Kitchen

S.B. Middle School Brings Its Best to the Table

The Joy of Experiential Learning at Crane School

The Montessori Method’s Many Success Stories

Unplugged Yet Connected at Midland School 

Leslie Dinaberg is currently the editor in chief of Touring & Tasting magazine. She spent the last 11 years as managing editor of Santa Barbara Seasons, has also edited national business and college student magazines, and writes regularly for a number of publications. Leslie has also authored three nonfiction children’s books and is the coauthor of Hometown Santa Barbara: The Central Coast Book, an insider’s guide to her hometown. See lesliedinaberg.com or follow her on Instagram (@LeslieSDinaberg) and Twitter (@lesliedinaberg). 

Click here to read this story as it originally appeared in the Santa Barbara Independent on November 7, 2019. SB Independent Schools of Thought Insert 11.7.19

Providence Launches Innovative Design Program 

Posted on by

Christian College Prep Prepares Students for Fine Art and Digital Careers 

Providence Design Program, From Schools of Thought, Santa Barbara Independent, November 7, 2019.

Providence Design Program, From Schools of Thought, Santa Barbara Independent, November 7, 2019.

As digital design becomes a more and more prevalent part of our society, Providence School is developing programs to help students interact with that burgeoning industry. This fall, the Christian college preparatory school’s faculty members James Daly and Maxwell Beers launched Providence Studio, which is equipping students to be competent and ethical content creators. 

The response so far has been overwhelming, reported Daly and Beers. “Classes are full, and students are enthusiastic!” they wrote. “The Studio opens doors of opportunity and growth for students interested in a wide variety of fields, from photojournalism to filmmaking and graphic design.” 

The Providence Studio offer three academic tracks: Fine Arts, Digital Media, and a Fine Arts/Digital Media hybrid. The “Fine Arts” track is built upon the classical and academic models of art education. “I didn’t even realize the potential I had, or that I was that good at drawing, until Mr. Daly helped bring it out,” said sophomore Liza Coffin. “I am so excited to see how much more I will grow in my artistic expression with him teaching me through my time in the studio.” 

The “Digital Media” track includes working with Photoshop and learning to ethically create and edit images in a world where image manipulation is prolific. “We’ve been talking about how to use our technology responsibly and carefully and still effectively,” said senior Cameron Bleeker. 

It also includes an introduction to the skills and techniques of contemporary photojournalism. “I get to write articles as well as do the artistic elements, so it’s really combining a bunch of different classes that I enjoy,” said senior Alena Zeni. 

There’s also an introduction to the film and video production process. “I want to be a film major, so I feel like I can use what I’m learning here in the studio to direct my choices and my career,” said senior Eric Smith. 

Some of the “Hybrid” projects include: digital painting alongside classical painting; taking the techniques of drawing with pencil and applying them in the Adobe Illustrator application on a Wacom digital tablet; and starting with an 18th-century etching, students draw in pencil, then take creative liberties to paint, scan, trace in Illustrator, and make a vector-based design that can then be 3D printed. 

“Ultimately, the goal for our students is to build a broad, foundational skill set that they can take into any vocation and across all fields,” explained the teachers. “The ability to translate abstract concepts to the canvas or screen is no easy task; however, it is essential, even expected, in both expressions of media. As a result, each track emphasizes skill-based methods tailored to equip students to move into whichever field students choose.” 

What excites them the most about the Providence Studio is that “the students who go through the program will become influencers, storytellers, and content creators with a strong desire for integrity and truth to guide the work they create.” 

Click here to read this story as it originally appeared in the Santa Barbara Independent on November 7, 2019. SB Independent Schools of Thought Insert 11.7.19