Our educators seek to answer three questions: What does Summit give children that is essential, unique, and enduring? How do we prepare our students for a future we can scarcely imagine, much less predict? What can we promise our families about the difference we make in each child’s life?

The answer to all three of these questions is the same:

This is revealed in the stories our students and teachers tell through words and pictures across these pages. Our State of the Art Facilities—a promise that we are both featuring and celebrating here—provide unique venues and opportunities for our students (and our entire community) to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively. In this special issue on State of the Art Facilities, you will read about a rich tapestry of student learning experiences, including:

Art studios that provide a setting for creative expression: “The opening of the Arts and Technology Building offers unlimited opportunities for students to experiment and discover; become independent and self-confident; develop their talents; and pursue their passions. . .”

Summit is both timeless and timely. Our long history of innovation inspires our reach to exceed our grasp. Summit’s Six Promises of Scholarship at its Best, A Fertile Learning Environment, A Sturdy Confidence, Intellectual Independence, State of the Art Facilities, and Educators Who Engage the Whole Child ignite each child’s imagination and create a lifetime of learning and memories.

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Arts & Technology: Programs that Teach and Inspire

2 1 0 0 R e y n o l d a R o a d , W i n s t o n - S a l e m , N C 2 7 1 0 6

Michael Ebeling, Head of School

S t a t e o f t h e A r t

I S S U E I o f V I

Facilities

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A robotics studio that builds for the future: “The NXT block system [in robotics] offers students a format that adds a mini-computer to the robots, which have programmable touch and sound sensors. This gives students the opportunity to write software that adds to the basic program. . .”

A media production studio that serves as a creative think tank: “Eighth grade video production students flourished. . . when they wrote scripts, shot, and edited videos on the theme ‘Making a World of Difference’ for submission to the National Middle School Association video competition. Their winning entry was later featured in a ‘School Solutions’ segment on WFMY News.”

A black box theatre that sets the stage for innovation and collaboration: “Our black box theatre is a highly flexible space suited for preforming arts education, rehearsal, and performance. Just a few months after opening, Summit’s black box has already been used for all three.”

A digital music studio in which students craft original pieces: “Every computer [in the studio] is a complete music station. . .[where students] study basic music theory which is rooted in mathematical concepts. The computers are each connected to a musical keyboard so many students choose to start with piano. The range of instruments gives students options, so that if one is not appealing, others will be. . .”

A design center where young children learn the principles of design: “I think of the Design Center as a place for exploring creativity and technology. . . Students can try out ideas, learn new skills, and have fun doing those things.” Writer-in-Residence and Summit alumnus Charlie Lovett captures the vision, ethos, and soul of Summit when he writes,

“What inspires me to teach at Summit is that here there are no limits on our imaginations. If we can dream it, we can do it.”

Student Media Gallery: Click the address below to see a sampling of the amazing work created by Summit students in the Arts and Technology Studios.

SummitSchool.com/StudentMedia

State of the Art Facilities – Arts & Technology Studios Summit News, ISSUE I of VI, Spring 2010

S u m m i t S c h o o l • 2 1 0 0 R e y n o l d a R o a d , W i n s t o n - S a l e m , N C 2 7 1 0 6 • 3 3 6 . 7 2 2 . 2 7 7 7 • w w w . s u m m i t s c h o o l . c o m • Editor: Barbara Long

The School admits students of any race, religion, color, and national or ethnic origin. Summit provides a challenging curriculum within a caring environment to help students develop their full potential.

The art and science of dreaming and doing—of giving children transformational experiences that inspire them to place their signatures on the world—represent Summit’s legacy and Summit’s future.

Michael Ebeling, Head of School

“The brilliant thing about what we are doing in media production is that we are taking ideas that have been in place here at Summit and growing them,” says Instructional Technology Specialist Henry Heidtmann. “Now we are able to do things on a much larger scale which gives students the opportunities to play bigger roles.” Eighth grade students flourished in one of those larger roles last fall when they wrote scripts, shot, and edited videos on the theme “Making a World of Difference” for submission to the National Middle School Association video competition. Their winning entry was later featured in a “School Solutions “ segment on WFMY News. After interviewing the students for the show, reporter Tracey McCain left impressed with the students’ poise and enthusiasm for the project. “It was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had working with a school,” she said.

Other eighth graders faced a different challenge––telling a story with no images, only sounds. Teacher Henry Heidtmann discovered a 1930s pulp fiction novel titled “Smoke” in a bookstore owned by the author’s grandson Kevin Bonnett. Long a fan of the genre, Henry thought the story would make a perfect radio adaptation. The class discussed famous radio plays such as “War of the Worlds” and the impact it had upon listeners. The adapted radio script brought to life the days when families gathered around the radio breathlessly waiting for the latest installment of their favorite dramas. “Smoke,” by Hal Murray Bonnett, tells the story of Crusher O’Shea, hard-nosed former wrestler turned detective. Sound effects and dramatic original music written by the students create suspense and set the mood. Rich, descriptive dialogue sets the stage for the story of an ominous warning and the subsequent pursuit of a missing necklace.

Upon hearing the production, Kevin Bonnett said, “…the class did a wonderful job of adapting the story for air. I plan to put it on a CD for playback in our store. I was also impressed with their use of music in the program. It fit the mood and was well placed to enhance the production. …I wish I’d had such a class in eighth grade.”

In their sixth grade video block period, students had the tables turned again when they were assigned the task of transforming the radio adaptation into a video. “It was like reading a book and then seeing a movie,” said Henry. “Two entirely different experiences.” Students decided what stayed the same and what changed. Some dialogue wasn’t needed

since the images told the story. The final cut produced a more film noir feel, very reminiscent of 1930s cinema. Drama teacher Ross Mihalko pitched in to help with costuming. “The beauty of it all is that we are teaching in close proximity to each other,” says Henry. “It is a creative think tank.”

Each week for the past 10 years, ninth graders have produced a weekly newscast called “World View,” which airs across the campus on Summit TV 6. They write and broadcast local, national, and world news, as well as weather and editorial segments. Recently, students have been experimenting with a 15-minute radio program that airs before school. “They begin to realize the importance of what they are saying and how they are saying it since they can’t rely on pictures to help tell the story,” says Henry.

Media production students assist in filming, recording, and live streaming performances which are available for viewing on the School website. Friends of playwright Charlie Lovett, who live in England, enjoyed watching a recent play. Last fall alumna Jordan Flowers ’02 taught dance choreography via Skype to the cast of the play “Rude Mechanicals” from her apartment in Atlanta. The real-time audio and video conferencing system allows viewers to see and talk to others in remote locations. Skype is also used in classrooms to connect with students from other parts of the country and around the globe. Although the Media Production Studio is filled with state of the art technology, it is in the collaborative moments where connections are made and the creative magic happens. At the end of the morning broadcast, students sign off with “Now it is your turn to go out and change the world.” That is exactly what Summit students are prepared to do.

Media Production Studio: A Creative Think Tank

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Four of the teachers in the Arts and Technology Building are alums of the School. Here is what they say inspires them to teach at Summit.

Josh Perry ’94 – ComputerSpecialist, Digital Media, and Digital Music

“I grew up with parents who are educators and I find that teaching is a way for me to have a positive influence in children’s lives. I hope to prepare them to become more critical thinkers and help shape them into becoming better human beings.”

Lisa Tudor ’84 – Art

“As a first grader, my wish for the time capsule was that I never wanted to leave Summit. And I never have. I am inspired by how the art department continues to grow and evolve. I love watching children embrace complicated concepts that I learned in college.”

Chris Culp ’82 – Director of Technology, Robotics

“What I have enjoyed most about teaching at Summit is the permission I am given to use my talents in ways that contribute to the education of so many children. I also enjoy the opportunities to work with students with learning differences to make school more enjoyable and successful for them.”

Charlie Lovett ’77 – Writer-in-Residence

“What inspires me to teach at Summit is that here there are no limits on my imagination. If we can dream it, we can do it. With the addition of the new black box theatre, this is more true than ever.”

Inspiring Teachers

Since the School’s founding in 1933, the arts have been at the heart of a Summit education. The program remains an integral part of the curriculum as students study drama, music, pottery, design, dance, photography, and studio art. The opportunities for creative exploration and collaboration have grown exponentially with the opening of the Arts and Technology Building.

Two, spacious, light-filled art studios occupy half of the second floor of the new building. Large tables center the rooms which have additional counter workspace beneath tall windows. The walls of both rooms are lined with storage cabinets and shelving for storing works in progress. The A&T hallways serve as gallery spaces for showcasing student art. A recent photography show titled “Faces” featured portraits taken by alumna Angela Stott ’86 and seventh graders in Martin Tucker’s photography class.

Art studio computers are used to research artists and locate examples of art as inspiration for student work. Students search the Internet for the answers to questions raised in class. Art teacher Lisa Tudor uses the VoiceThread program to help students post their artwork to a site which also enables them to add audio commentary about their creative process.

The youngest students begin their creative exploration of art by experimenting with pastels, paints, papers, and other media–learning to express themselves as they develop their fine motor skills. They begin by learning about line, shape, color, and texture and study the work of master artists. “Abstract artwork gives them the opportunity to develop their right brain,” says art teacher Brad Calhoun. After studying the work of artist Jasper Johns, first graders created their own versions of number and letter themed paintings.

Brad also teaches the ninth grade Art I class. The half-credit course offers students the chance to explore their personal style while honing their problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaborative skills. A lesson on illustration combined drawing skills, color washes, and the use of texture. A recent project introduced the class to molas, which are based on the intricate geometric designs the Kuna women of Panama and Columbia painted on their bodies. Art I student Scott Heston’s layered paper mola was inspired by the tattooed masks of the Maori people of New Zealand where Scott lived for a year.

The sixth grade torn paper collage project gives students a chance to approach art in a less structured way. “If a student feels self conscious or hesitant when approaching an art project, ripping paper seems less frightening and more freeing,” says Lisa Tudor. “All the elements of design are there, and this is a project where they can express themselves without being self critical.”

Art projects are often curriculum based, reinforcing what is being taught in the classroom. Second graders work with art teacher Jennifer Sparnicht

to create Kenyan travel posters to accompany their study of that country. “Before they begin cutting paper, they draw a preliminary sketch to scale that includes a slogan,” she says. Second grader Liza Hough is an animal lover who had great fun cutting and crinkling paper shapes to create a giant Nile crocodile for her poster. As part of their Pioneer study, third graders sculpt figures wearing clothing based on historical research. Projects such as the first grade Mexican Cathedral paintings and the shaped leather masks made during the seventh grade study of ancient Greece, support the classroom study of other cultures.

The opening of the Arts and Technology Building offers unlimited opportunities for students to experiment and discover, become independent and self-confident, develop their talents, and pursue their passions.

“When I think about what skills I want the students to master, it is much more about self-esteem, creativity, and self-confidence than about mastery of technique,” says Lisa. “I want them to feel brave enough to put themselves out there and not worry about criticism.”

Art Studios Provide Setting for Creative Exploration

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Three mornings a week the sounds of the Upper School Chamber Players fill the halls of the Arts and Technology Building. Each practice session is a celebratory event for the students and Band Director Patrick Tucker who are enjoying the magnificent new space which represents their first permanent home in the School’s history.

The room includes a SMART Board, one of 18 interactive white boards on campus. It connects the studio with music resources around the world. Most major symphonies sponsor websites which offer educational exercises and games geared toward students. The animated metronome on one of the sites prompts the students to maintain the correct timing. “When students are guided by the metronome, they can instantly hear when they are off beat,” says Patrick. Students play games that reinforce the study of musical symbols. Patrick finds that the interactive games are a great way to help younger students transition from their day in

the classroom to practice after school. They use a “Compozerizer” program to select and move measures into place to create their own compositions.

Panels installed on the ceilings and walls provide the perfect acoustical backdrop. The importance of correct posture is reinforced as students sit in specially designed chairs which are contoured to hold the body in the proper playing position.When Patrick took over as Band Director in 1998, all students were members of one band. He divided them into beginning, intermediate, and advanced groups. “The key to the program’s success is to provide as much individual attention as possible,” says Patrick. “That is how we have grown some very fine players.” Students begin the program as third graders when they choose to study trumpet, flute, or clarinet. Patrick notes that they come to band well prepared by music teacher Glenda Shelton who teaches kindergartners through third graders. Students move to the Advanced Band in fourth and fifth grades. The Chamber Players, composed of sixth through ninth graders, is the most experienced group, serving as mentors to the younger members. The bands’ progress is showcased at twice-yearly concerts performed for students and parents. Flute player Annecy Daggett is a third-year member. She enjoys the new space which is dedicated to the band and recommends that other students join the group. “It is important to know how to play an instrument,” she says. “It is fun and Mr. Tucker is a really great teacher.”

Some of the more experienced students also play in the Triad Jazz Youth Ensemble, a community group founded by Patrick and Loma Hopkins to introduce middle school musicians to American jazz. In May of 2009, the ensemble recorded a CD titled “Stepping Stones,” which included a track performed by Summit band members.

The new studio space is also home to the seventh grade choral music activity, which is directed by legendary music teacher Loma Hopkins. Groups of 20 students meet for 2-3 week sessions several times during the year. They sing, study music theory, and learn to appreciate music from a variety of genres. A storage room, with a closed stack shelving system, houses a large library of sheet music from which they can draw.

Roanne Ornelles, Summit parent and Head of Elementary Grades, has seen how much the band program has benefited her son Adam, a seventh grader. “It has developed Adam’s self-discipline, musical skills, and ability to collaborate with others,” she says. “I truly believe that he carries these skills over to other aspects of his life. It makes perfect sense to me in that the brain functions that are required for playing music are the very same ones that are required to succeed in many of his classes. Patrick Tucker is a gifted musician with high expectations of the students. He motivates Adam to be at his very best.”

Band and Chorus Studio Inspires Beautiful Music

Architects. Product designers. Graphic Artists. Fashion designers. Summit kindergartners. What is the common denominator? They all study the principles of design as the foundation for the creative process.

The sign in the Design Studio states that design is an open-ended process–– “Because when you start to solve a problem, you don’t know the best solution needed to meet the requirements…The process is cyclical and may begin at and return to any step.” Design Specialist Karen House leads children down a path of discovery similar to the writing process as they learn to define the problem to be solved. After brainstorming ideas, they select the most promising design, make a plan, build a prototype to see if it works, and finally, make revisions to improve it.

“I think of the Design Center as a place for exploring creativity and technology,” says Karen. “Students can try out ideas, learn new skills, and have fun doing those things.” Fun was high on the list during a recent class where the topic was symmetry. “What does that mean,” asks Karen, as she refers to a shape on the SMART Board. “The same on both sides,” answered a kindergartner in Ms. Moss’s class. “Symmetry had already been introduced in their classroom, so this activity reinforces the concept,” says Karen.

Eager to create their own symmetrical designs, the students chose from one of three designs of varying complexity and used the KidPix software program to fill them with color. After finishing her creation, Erin Davis made a card to take to her grandmother that looked like a laptop computer. “It’s to hold this fabulous circle I made,” she said. In the spring, students review the concept of symmetry when they design, build, and fly their own kites.

Another computer exercise involved GollyGee blocks. The program allows students to manipulate 3D shapes to create geometric structures while developing their mouse skills. In minutes the children created colorful 3D worlds with towering skyscrapers by stacking, stretching, and adding texture to the blocks. “Wow, it climbed right up there,” said Austin Anderson as he added a floor to his futuristic building.

Earlier in the year, students worked on a flag design project, which began with students viewing hundreds of world flags on the SMART Board. “We talked about what they liked about certain flags, and why,” says Karen. Afterwards, each student created his own flag out of construction paper. “I emphasize the importance of experimenting with shape and color combinations before settling on one plan,” says Karen. Some hands-on projects don’t involve technology, such as the popular tooth

pillows made in February which is Dental Health month. Losing and growing new teeth is a hot topic among kindergartners who love making a pillow for the Tooth Fairy. Each student selects a triangle, square, or parallelogram pattern– all shapes from the Tangram Sets they use in class. They choose their favorite color of fleece; add eyes, fangs, and the all-important pocket to hold the tooth.

The shoebox house project empowers students to become miniature city planners. After building houses modeled after their own homes, they decide where to place them in a neighborhood. A broader discussion of architecture and design started in the kindergarten classrooms. “Kindergartners love to build,” says teacher Susan Hedgpeth. “Studying design is a wonderful way for the children to notice shapes in the details of buildings as well as graphics.”

Kindergartners have been learning their letters using the Letterland program. This culminating activity incorporates a new technology tool for conversation called VoiceThread. Each student chooses a letter of the alphabet and illustrates it using Kidpix. The drawings are uploaded to VoiceThread and students record an explanation of what they drew.

Whether students are designing with construction sets, glue and paper, blocks, or computer programs the Design Center is filled with materials that excite the spirit and inspire the creative process. “As a backdrop, we often listen to music to help get the creative juices flowing,” says Karen. “I encourage students to think creatively, stressing that if you can imagine it you can build it.”

Learning the Principles of Design

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Band and Chorus Studio Inspires Beautiful Music

One student said the Digital Media Studiohad changed his life. After only a brief introduction to stop motion animation, you understand why.

It is empowering to take a simple, paper cutout of a bee and watch it buzz across the computer screen to a waiting daffodil. Objects photographed sequentially come to life using iStopmotion, a user-friendly computer program that allows students to explore creative possibilities that are limited only by their imaginations.

Stop motion animation is a technique which makes static objects appear to move. Objects to be animated are placed in a photography bay beneath a fixed camera. After each photograph, the object is moved slightly. Once it is recorded and played back on the computer, the object appears to be in motion.

This basic concept has been the foundation for student projects ranging from animated book reports and instructional videos to animated movies. Betsy McNeer’s eighth grade English students drew and narrated scenes from the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game” by

Richard Connell. The dramatic story was vividly brought to life as the main character swims for his life though rough seas, only to be hunted down like an animal on an isolated island. Students began the process by watching a video tutorial by Digital Media teacher Josh Perry. After deciding what narration was needed, they chose six to eight scenes to animate. “Each of the English classes chose different scenes that they felt would advance the story,” says Josh.

Andrew Hano’s eighth grade U.S. History students followed up their classroom study by creating an animated tutorial on how to read a map. Arrows move around the screen to identify the lines of longitude and latitude and explain a compass rose. “A project like this provides another way of reinforcing what goes on in the classroom,” says Josh.

As part of the seventh grade Greek study, Gareth Clement-Noyes’s English students animated a scene from a story they wrote about a god or goddess they created. Art teacher Brad Calhoun taught animation to 3-5th graders as part of the Summit Afternoon Academy. Working with partners, they learned to develop a storyboard, create backgrounds, animate elements, and add text. They all left with their stories on a flash drive to take home and proudly share with their families.

Most agree, a great movie starts with a great story. Such is the case with the ambitious project David Stoeri’s fourth grade class created based upon the traditional tall tale, “The Frog that Ate the Snake that Ate the Frog.” Divided into five teams, students selected which scenes to animate and then told the story in their own words. Encouraged to use their fertile imaginations, they created characters as unique as the students themselves. Paper frogs, painted frogs, and fat frogs sculpted from Model Magic hop across the screen. Mixed media backgrounds, created from everyday objects like string, aluminum foil, and pipe cleaners brought the story to life. “I am so proud of their storytelling skills and the way they saw it in their mind’s eye and made it come alive,” says David.

Video of themselves anchoring a mock newscast in front of a green screen was replaced with their original artwork. They studied old movie posters and designed their own which included clever titles and rating systems. The entire class voted on the best name for the movie. The accompanying soundtrack features an original song by David called, “Big Blue Puddle,” and the class sang and recorded an old country blues song entitled “Fishin’ Blues,” in the Digital Music Studio.

Fourth grader Alex Zades is one of the Digital Media Studio’s biggest fans. The media savvy ten-year-old had worked with animation before but was inspired to upgrade his personal software and learn how to add sound to his movies. He started his own production company, Blue Shell Studios, with several friends. “The animation studio made a big difference for me,” says Alex. “As I learned more, we pressed forward and were able to make a really good movie.”

Digital Media Studio Brings Stories to Life

Summit students who have a background in music are able to advance their skills with the addition of sophisticated equipment in the new Digital Music Studio. Recording software such as Apple Logic Studio and Digidesign Pro Tools are used in professional studios around the world. Computers that use this type of software link to a recording interface, enabling the use of different types of microphones. The Studio includes a setup that also connects Apple Logic Studio to a recording booth. However, Digital Music teacher Josh Perry says the main purpose of the studio is to introduce students to the basics of music. All 15 iMac computers are loaded with Apple GarageBand software. Tutorials take students through the steps to learn how to play an instrument. Since all computers have dual displays, students may watch a tutorial while simultaneously working with the program.

“Every computer is a complete music station,” says Josh. “Now, we can get into the study of basic music theory which is rooted in mathematical concepts.” The computers are each connected to a musical keyboard that can mimic other instruments through the software. “The range of instruments gives students options, so that if one is not appealing, others will be,” says Josh. All of the computers are linked to a mixer that plays through a main sound system, allowing every computer to act as an instrument. As a result, students can share work with the rest of the class or play music together through the main speakers.

Eighth grader Sarah Phillips Orr found the GarageBand instructional videos to be very helpful. “I have learned a lot about different instruments,” says Sarah, who has tried them all. “It is so much fun to be able to mess around and create your own music. It is a great opportunity to play new instruments and learn more about ones you are already familiar with.”

Students are able to choose from a variety of sounds on GarageBand and learn how to mix and repeat sounds to compose simple music. Original music has played an important role in several recent projects. Eighth graders Bria Mann and Mary Catherine White worked with Josh to create original music for videos, one of which won a national award last fall. Using Mac GarageBand software, they adapted a collection of pre-recorded musical sounds which were arranged on multiple tracks and then looped to create the sound tracks. Fourth graders sang and recorded music for the soundtrack

of a multi-media animated movie they made in Digital Media. Eighth grade U.S. History students were given an assignment to read the Constitution and put it into their own words. They each recorded their version, which was played in class to help students gain a broader understanding of the document’s meaning.

Every student gets a chance to go into the recording booth and learn the basics of creating a drum loop on the digital drum set –– a valuable way to reinforce the basics of establishing a rhythmic beat. Students may develop their guitar skills with one of three electric guitars or play them for the first time with the help of video instruction. Josh, an accomplished musician who studied classical guitar at the UNC-School of the Arts, adds his personal expertise. “There are a lot of kids like me who started playing at a young age and are looking for help,” says Josh, who has taught guitar during his digital music classes at Summit and worked with students in Summit Summer camps to record and critique their music. John Gorelick, who is in the band

“The Last of Many” with fellow ninth graders Hamilton Disher and Ricardo Salinas, says the band has spent a few sessions working in the studio with Apple Logic Studio, and feels they could benefit from using it to write original songs.

Davis Spivey, a sixth grade student, was initially frustrated when he started learning piano. However, surrounded by the fertile learning environment, he was motivated to stick with it.

“I started writing my own songs,” he says. “At the end, we got to make a CD to take home to work on later or maybe load on our iPod.”

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Originality Flourishes in Digital Music StudioDigital Media Studio Brings Stories to Life

For performances in the black box, stage and audience configurations are limited only by the imagination of the students and staff. Plays can be presented in traditional proscenium style arrangements, in the round, or any other way actors and directors choose to arrange the relationship between actors and audience. Students and staff plan to construct a set of platforms that can be used to create stage and/or audience seating areas to add to the flexibility of the black box. The proximity of audience to actors in the black box helps students develop a different style of acting than they might use in the larger Hopkins Theatre and leads to an intimate “conversation” between performer and viewer.

All the technical systems in the black box are designed for use by students. The presence of wide, safe catwalks means that students can be involved in every aspect of theatrical production—from focusing lights to running sound and projection equipment. The equipment that Summit students use in the black box uses the same technology that drives the lights and sound on Broadway, so the technical skills our students learn can be easily transferred to high school and college theatres and beyond. Because much of the floor of the black box is made of plywood, it can be painted and scenery can be easily attached to it. Once a production is over, we simply remove the scenery (using the A & T Building’s freight elevator) and paint the floor black again. If the plywood begins to show wear, it is easily replaced.

The black box is wired directly to our media production studio so that it can be used as a full-sized television sound stage. Students can perform, film, and edit productions all at the same time. In just a few months the black box has held not just classes but also:

Rehearsals and performances of four seventh grade Greek dramas. In some of these short plays, the Greek Chorus appeared on the catwalk, where they could comment on the action from above.

An eighth grade class that produced a short children’s play that they performed for our afterschool children.

A media production class that adapted, performed, filmed, and edited a pulp fiction detective story.

A Summit Afternoon Academy theatre class.

The possibilities for education, rehearsal, and performance in the black box are truly limitless, and students and staff alike look forward to using our imaginations to explore this new and exciting space—a perfect space for inspiring learning.

Thinking Out of the Box: Theatre Sets Stage for Innovation and Collaboration

By Charlie Lovett ‘77, Writer-in-Residence What is a black box theatre? It is much more than just a big room painted black. In most colleges and universities (and now at Summit too) much of the theatre education program happens in a black box. A black box theatre is a highly flexible space suited for performing arts education, rehearsal, and performance. Just a few months after opening, Summit’s black box has already been used for all three.

On the second floor of the Arts and Technology Building, the black box theatre is a large open space, equipped with the latest in theatre technology. The theatre is large enough to allow classes to spread out and work in small groups or come together for larger group instruction. This new space has allowed the addition of many new theatre classes to our curriculum. Large windows at one end of the space mean that most classes can take place without electric lights; when theatre lights are used, black-out blinds cover the windows with the simple press of a button.

The black box takes some of the scheduling pressure off our popular Loma Hopkins Theatre—while a play is rehearsing in the theatre, classes can take place in the black box. The black box is large enough to double as a theatre stage; productions that will be mounted in the Hopkins Theatre can be rehearsed in the black box.

When Director of Technology Chris Culp offered the first robotics class in 2001, students worked around a table in a small storage space. For their initial project, they assembled a three-axis robotic arm that Chris ordered on the Internet. Though the beginnings were humble, students loved the cool, new block activity and clamored for more.

The program grew in size and scope as classes were offered at all levels of the School and extended to Summit Summer camps, the Afternoon Academy, and Summit at Night. With the move to the spacious Arts & Technology Building, the robotics program flourishes in ways that could only have been imagined eight years ago.

From those first, simple robotic arms, students currently work on Lego Mindstorm projects, building everything from autonomous rovers to robotic dogs and Santa’s sleigh complete with moving reindeer.

“It is a great computer-based instructional system that allows students to build over 60 projects,” says Chris.

“It familiarizes them with the mechanics of building robots and works well for visual learners.” As they assemble elements, students can compare the pieces to diagrams on the computer screen to see if they are properly put together. Pop-up bubbles reinforce printed instructions and offer suggestions.

“Mindstorm is a very open source project,” says Chris. Groups of people all over the world offer personal insight on creating and completing projects. Students visit these sites to get help when tackling a project or designing a new one. Once they are experienced, students may offer their own suggestions on the site. “Students get hooked on these projects,” says Chris, who is often visited by students who have completed the class and come back to gaze longingly at students working in the studio.

The NXT block system offers a format that adds a mini-computer to the robots, which have programmable touch and sound sensors. This gives students the opportunity to write software that adds to the basic program. It enables the robots to perform specific tasks by receiving feedback from sensors that allow them to recognize an object by sight or feel. More complex kits are used to build robots powered by industrial grade motors.

“These are great for more experienced students to have the opportunity to build more challenging projects,” says Chris.

One of the most popular elements in the studio is the newly upgraded Sumo-Bot ring. Lights and fog set the stage for team battles. Students compete by maneuvering remote controlled robot cars to win points by pinning competitors against the walls or forcing them into a

“black hole” in the center. The last one standing wins.

The newly acquired professional quality CNC Router Robot cuts custom patterns and shapes. Designs created on a computer are transferred to the machine which reproduces the design in wood, soft metals, and plastic. Students can use the router to cut gears and other custom parts to build robots. In the future, Chris plans to use the machine as the basis for more curriculum-based projects. For instance, fifth grade math students could build on their study of geometry and tessellations. Using the Adobe Illustrator software in the Digital Media Studio, they could draw shapes and send the files to the router to cut them out.

Recently, Chris has worked with students on an ambitious project to build computers. To date, Upper School students have finished thirteen. Students follow directions to build the computer which uses the Ubuntu open source operating system, which is available for free on the Internet.

Twelve of the computers are being used in the second and third grade classrooms. The thirteenth computer lives in the Robotics Studio. One of the sides of the tower is made of Plexiglas so that students can see the inner workings. First grade students will build the first of the next four Chris has scheduled to complete.

Last spring, Chris worked with a small group of students to build two working solar panels. Eighth and ninth graders are constructing four more during their double activity periods. Chris plans to mount them to the roof of the A&T Building to power auxiliary hallway lighting during evening hours. Plans for the spring include building a small wind turbine.

“Students often ask that age-old question, ‘How am I going to use this in real life?’” says Chris.

“The work we are doing in robotics answers that.”

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Robotics: Building the Future

2 1 0 0 R e y n o l d a R o a d W i n s t o n - S a l e m , N C 2 7 1 0 6 - 5 1 1 5

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NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE PAIDWinston-Salem, N.C.

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