Newsletter Archive

Newsletter February 2008

From the Director:

The new year brought some changes to Tincan. James Jack, our graphic designer, decided to return to Spokane with his family after trying out Indiana and finding it not to their liking. We welcomed him back at Tincan, where he will continue to design our outstanding web and print material and develop web sites for businesses and non-profits. This Tincan web development service provides outreach to small non-profits and businesses who might otherwise not be able to go online and establish their Internet presence, so critical in today's world. James will also take a greater role in teaching in our teen programs that have an entrepreneurship component.

We also promoted Tara Neumann from Director of Teen Programs to Assistant Director of Tincan. Tara will take over some administrative tasks, and play a greater role in community outreach and program development. Tara has a Masters degree in Educational Technology.

Karen L. Michaelson, Ph.D.
Executive Director

SubVERSive Poetry Spreads the Word

Despite icy roads, there wasn't a chair to spare at the Starbucks on Sullivan the evening of December 5th. Teens, parents, friends and patrons crowded into the space to watch the four videos created in SubVERSive. The project, which was funded by the Starbucks Foundation, teamed teens from four groups who often experience prejudice with professional poets to learn to give voice to their own experience through poetry and video. Hannah Whitmore, Tincan's Media Integration Coordinator, noted that one of the goals of the SubVERSive program was "to produce videos that would create a powerful reaction in people, and challenge them to imagine the world from someone else's perspective." Another goal was to empower teens to find and use their voices to share messages that will tear down barriers of prejudice. Mixing poetry and video helped them be successful in both areas. You can see the videos online and learn more about the program at www.virtualteencenter.org/project_subversive. A DVD is also available for purchase for $10. Proceeds will go towards funding the next SubVERSive program.

Spotlight on Nora Taylor

This is the first in what will be a regular series highlighting teens participating in Tincan's programs. Nora Taylor is a senior at Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane. She has been a vibrant part of Tincan since the spring of 2006, when she joined the Circle Project. Her passion for community issues became evident as she and seven other teens researched the unusual topic of intended teen pregnancy. The project culminated in a short documentary film which won the Regional 2007 National Student Television Award for Documentary Film. Nora also joined the eMerge News program and excelled at producing stories that made complex issues intriguing to a young audience. Her work with the news soon earned her an internship with Tincan helping teach the program. Along with that and her other extra curricular activities, including serving on Planned Parenthood's Teen Advisory Board, Nora co- produced yet another documentary, "The Fourteen Green" about living green as a teenager. The film was well received at the 2007 Spokane Bioneers film festival. She is currently working on yet another documentary project, for her senior PICI class, in which she is exploring homelessness in Spokane. After graduation Nora plans to attend college or join AmeriCorps where she will undoubtedly continue to combine her video talents with her drive to serve her community.

BIZMIZ a Success

The BizMiz program completed a successful year of introducing girls to entrepreneurship. Funded by the Inland Northwest Community Foundation, BIZMIZ was designed to introduce girls to the business world by developing an eCommerce business. The program ran at the YWCA, Shaw and Chase Middle Schools and over 45 girls participated in the program to develop their own business. Participants formed their business idea, completed a business plan, designed their business website, developed a blog about their experience and wrote, directed and edited a web commercial to promote their company.

These creative girls developed businesses ranging from TMAD, a non-profit business for teens to make a difference in their communities, to Katty Kreations, a company that designs and sells interesting animal themed school supplies. Other business included a photographer, babysitting clubs, pet grooming and care, a new cereal brand, jewelry design, lawn care, clothing labels and stores, and a rock band.

While most students developed imagined businesses, one participant, Ciara Totton, even took her business live this year. Ciara is a thirteen year old photographer who has shown her work downtown at the INWBC Gallery, the Gallery of Thum and other locations. She also shows her work at local art shows and events. Through her participation in BIZMIZ, she now showcases and sells her work online at: http://www.ciaratottonphotography.com. For additional information and to view these the girls' work, please visit: http://www.virtualteencenter.org and click on BIZMIZ.

Tincan Summer Teacher Science and Technology Programs Now Recruiting

The dates for Tincan's 2008 National Science Foundation-funded summer teacher workshops have been set. The workshops give middle and high school science and technology teachers the tools to bring science alive to a new generation of students. The 2008 workshops have been updated to include time for teacher curriculum development and a hands- on practicum with local students. Teachers receive a stipend for participation, and travel, food, and lodging are paid. Teachers may take more than one workshop.

Workshops are:
Simple Simulation Gaming June 23-July 11
Eco-Mapping: Beyond the Mercator Map July 14- 25
Gaming Boot Camp for Educators July 18-August 15

For more information and to apply for the workshops, go to http://rssit.tincan.org

Tincan Staff Make National and Regional Presentations

Tincan's programs are receiving national and regional recognition as staff go on the road in February and March to make presentations at professional meetings. Assistant Director Tara Neumann will present information on how Tincan's programs integrate science and information technology to the Washington Association for Learning Alternatives. Executive Director Karen Michaelson will present a paper "Structure, Skills, and Play-testing: Experiencing game development with middle school students" at the meetings of the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education in Las Vegas. The paper was authored jointly with Neumann. And later in March, Michaelson and Hannah Whitmore, Tincan's Media Integration Coordinator will appear on a panel "Technology Programs that Engage and Support At-Risk Youth" at NTEN, The Nonprofit Technology Network Conference in New Orleans. The panel was organized by Michaelson, and includes participants from the Puget Sound Center for Teaching and Learning and New York's Global Kids.