By Lou Phelps
Staff

A week long string of various engineering seminars and activities took place in July at the Savannah Engineering Academy hosted by Georgia Tech Savannah. The summer program for the advanced teaching of science and engineering incorporated industry expertise from such organizations as Gulfstream, Standard Concrete, EFACEC and the Army Corps of Engineers, to name a few.  And, it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of local engineering leaders.

Each day the academy showcased different disciplines of engineering with subjects and activities pertaining to Aerospace, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Manufacturing and Water Resource Engineering. There were only 30 slots available for area students who were chosen for the academy through a highly competitive selection and application process.

In addition to providing teacher recommendations, students were required to have grades at the 80th percentile or better in all mathematics, engineering, technology and science classes.

The 2011 academy included students from a number of schools in Georgia and South Carolina including Brentwood School (Sandersville, Ga.); Bulloch Academy (Stateboro, Ga.), Effingham County High School (Springfield, Ga.) , HV Jenkins High School Honors Academy (Savannah, Ga.); Landmark Christian High School (Newnan, Ga.); Liberty County High School (Hinesville, Ga.), Richmond Hill High School (Richmond Hill, Ga.), Robert W. Groves High School (Garden City, Ga.); Savannah Arts Academy (Savannah, Ga.); Savannah Christian Preparatory School (Savannah, Ga.); Savannah Early College (Savannah, Ga.), South Effingham High School (Guyton, Ga.); St. Andrew's School (Savannah, Ga.); Vidalia High School (Vidalia, Ga.); and Wade Hampton High School (Varnville, S.C.).

“This program exposes students to various facets of engineering,” according Patricia Potter, Georgia Tech Savannah program manager and coordinator for the Savannah Engineering Academy. “The students really enjoy the experience as it helps them prepare for their college studies and a potential career in engineering.”

Day one of the Savannah Engineering Academy entailed a discussion of Civil Engineering conducted by Mike Zaitz of Hussey, Gay, Bell, & DeYoung, Dawn Morgan of Collins Construction and John Panhorst of Spatial Engineering, Inc. After an introduction to the day’s events and concepts, the students were transported from the Georgia Tech Savannah campus to Standard Concrete Products and given a tour of the facilities. Upon returning to the Georgia Tech Savannah campus, students were divided into two groups and alternated between two activities called the Castle of Cards and Survey Safari. During the Castle of Cards students created a sound structure using only index cards and during the Survey Safari students learned the importance of survey groups illustrated with multiple scenarios.

“This year’s Savannah Engineering Academy is taking a notably different approach than those of years past,” said Potter. “This year, we’re making a greater effort in explaining the relevance and importance of the concepts and materials that the students will be exposed to.”

The remaining days of the Savannah Engineering Academy focused on unique aspects of engineering. As in day one, students were offered an informed introduction to the day’s events and activities then participate in tours and engineering exercises at Gulfstream, the City of Savannah Water Treatment Facility, EFACEC and on a riverboat tour of the Savannah River.

"This is a great opportunity to get youth and teachers excited about Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM),” said Miriam Hodesh, community relations specialist for Gulfstream. “The students involved with the Savannah Engineering Academy are passionate about engineering, and as a host, Gulfstream can inform and educate students about our diverse career options. For these high school juniors and seniors who are especially interested in engineering, we want to share the many possibilities available to them in flight sciences, custom engineering, aircraft systems, structural design, completion and other career paths."

On another day, Gulfstream's AIAA members took students through an engineering challenge and a tour of the manufacturing facility. Students had a chance to talk with a diverse array of Gulfstream employees and co-op students while working on a classroom project. Gulfstream engineers provided real-world explanations from an engineering perspective and showed students the pros and cons related to the issue.

The final day of the Savannah Engineering Academy focused on the subject of Water Resource Management with Beth Williams of the Army Corps of Engineers. The Army Corps of Engineers helps with the camp annually as part of its community outreach program.

The Corps’ Water Resource Engineering Day began with a brief overview of work that the Army Corps of Engineers is currently involved in. Students then boarded a riverboat at Hutchinson Island Dock for a tour of several engineering projects in progress along the Savannah River.
Additionally, students learned about the Savannah River’s role as a shipping channel and an estuary with a unique system of tidal creeks, rivers and marshes. Topics that will be discussed include dredging, water quality and the Corps’ harbor deepening project. Their day concluded with an Army Corps of Engineers presentation as well as a panel discussion.

“Seeing young people get excited about science and engineering makes all the effort worthwhile,” says Williams. “This camp can lead them to the type of rewarding career so vital to the nation and our region. We try to provide an opportunity for the students to learn about what is going on in their community as well as what engineers actually do every day, which gives them a perspective that they might not have had otherwise. We try to make the learning experience memorable and – more importantly – fun.
The Savannah Engineering Academy is made possible by Georgia Tech Savannah, Armstrong Atlantic State University, the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System as well as many local companies, professional organizations, and professional engineers who volunteer their time, talent and energy to benefit academy students. partners include the Army Corps of Engineers; City of Savannah; Collins Construction; EFACEC; Georgia Ports Authority; Gulfstream; Home Depot; Hussey, Gay, Bell & DeYoung Engineering & Architects; MegaWatt Laser; Spatial Engineering; Stage Front Presentation Systems; Standard Concrete Products; Terracon; and Thomas & Hutton Engineering Company. Professional organizations involved include the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers; National Association of Women in Construction; and the Society of American Military Engineers.

The St. James Catholic School on Whitfield Ave. is opening an Early Learning Center,  a brand new three year old classroom for the 2011-2012 school year.  The school now has a  a toddler room, for children starting at 18 months, and a ‘tweens’ room, which will be for older twos and little threes still potty training, as well as a Big 3's room, for all threes who are potty trained completely.

The registration fee is $150.00 and packets are available from the church school or by calling Miss Wendy at 912-629-2430 for a tour.

St. James believes that young children learn best when they are given the opportunity to learn in a language rich classroom that offers a variety of learning opportunities through play and hand-on activities. Young children are very interested in a variety of learning experiences and they enjoy using all five senses to explore their environment. This approach to learning fosters creative thinking and problem-solving skills in a non-biased, non-competitive, developmentally appropriate way. We believe that the culture of family and community play an enormously important role in each child's learning process. The school encourages the participation of family members in all its programs, working hand-in-hand to raise  children.

The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) has been selected for the sixth time to receive a $1,000,000 grant funded under the U.S. Department of Education’s Teaching American History grant program. The grant supports teacher professional development programs to effectively engage American history instruction, resulting in improved student achievement.

Grant partners include the Armstrong Atlantic State University, Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (New York, New York) and the Coastal Museums Association.

Additional information on the grant is available from Leah Colby, Grant Projects Director or Candy Lowe, Director of Social Studies at 912- 395-5070.

Windsor Forest High School has achieved International Baccalaureate World Status.  The Diploma Programme will begin at the start of the upcoming school year which allows students to learn to approach problems with questions and moves their focus from passive recipients to active participants of their education.

According to Carol Kibbey, principal of Windsor Forest High School, “Teachers and administrators have dedicated themselves to this program for two years.  At Windsor, we want to raise the bar, to raise the expectations of our students. The IB Programme facilitates this and encourages academic, social, and cultural growth and promotes a strong sense of global awareness. It is when these factors converge that our students will develop a true sense of identity and their place in our ever shrinking world.”

As part of the program, 11th and 12th graders are enrolled in seven academic courses, some lasting two years.  The students also partake in Community, Action, and Service, referred to as ‘CAS’, in which they select and create a project that identifies and addresses a need in society. The CAS project occurs throughout the student’s junior and senior years.

All of the courses within Windsor’s IB Programme are eligible for college credit.  The study of film is also included as an academic course.  Students involved in the film course will learn all aspects of the filmmaking process, including development of a treatment, screen writing, cinematography, acting, and the writing of a musical score.