DATA Hosts Grossmont USD Educators

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On October 16th, 2009 DATA hosted 20+ educators from Grossmont Unified School District to share the experiences in building the Digital Arts Technology Academy at Cathedral City High School. 

Conversations included

• The history of the Academy
• DATA as a California Partnership Academy
  
• Master scheduling
• Roles of counseling and administration 
  
• AME pathways in digital imaging and journalism
• Academy structure and course sequencing
• Professional community involvement
• Challenge Based Learning
  

DATA staff included

• Principal, Guillermo Chavez
• Assistant principal, Ryan Woll
• DATA coordinator and teacher, Matt Hamilton
• DATA counselor, Debbie Applebaum
  
• Digital imaging teacher, Matt Cauthron
• English teacher, Nancy Blair

PSUSD staff included

• Director of State/Federal Programs and CTE Coordinator, Dr. Diana Verney
  

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Cordova Studio Portait Challenge

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On Monday October 9th, thirteen DATA digital imaging students visited Cordova Photography, a professional portrait studio in Palm Desert, Ca. specializing in "the art of photographing people".  Students met with owner/photographer Phil Cordova, learned about his college experience at Brooks Institute and the business of running a studio, toured the facility, and participated in professional portrait sessions.  At the end of the tour Phil provided a challenge to the students to shoot on their own.  The challenge, Portraits from Nothing, will be professionally critiqued by Phil himself.

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DATAganza 2009

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The Oct. 14 DATAganza in the CCHS Theater was a huge success for the DATA program. The entire DATA staff was introduced, some amazing student projects were on display, and we had our first DATA Parent Group meeting. If you missed it, don't fret. On May 11, 2010, in a very special venue, we will hold our DATApalooza, with food and screening of student projects. Circle your calendar now for this exciting event.

Here is a sample from the event!

Besides by Aaron Armstrong-Tamez

Find more videos like this on Digital Arts Education

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Di Students Shoot Mayan Artifacts for PSUSD ELL

Mayan Presentation

View more presentations from Matt  Cauthron.

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On Friday September 18, 2009 DATA Digital Imaging students Markie Hackwith, Arin Wall, and Spencer McQuinn had a rare and special opportunity to photograph ancient Mayan artifacts unearthed from the Banda del Oro mountain range that lies between Guatemala and El Salvador.  The shoot was arranged by Palm Springs Unified School District ELL coordinator Brian Lentz and will be shown in various Cathedral City High School classrooms and throughout the school district.

Brian Lentz explains the story behind the artifacts

"My Mayan collection of artifacts is really my father-in-law's collection.  They were, for the most part, dug up by his workers when they planted a new coffee tree.  They would hear a clunking sound and then clear away the dirt and remove whatever the object was- a bowl,  vase and in some cases, weapons.  Most pieces are from the area of Central America that lies between Guatemala and El Salvador along the Banda del Oro mountain range.  Nothing has been done to them.  Some are cracked from thousands of earthquakes that have rocked that area for centuries.  The jade piece is from a ruler's tomb and was given as a gift by an archeologist that my father-in-law assisted on a dig.  These are everyday items from Mayan households and that is my main attraction to them; common items tell a deeper story of the people who owned them rather than fully restored museum pieces.  The Power Point presentation of these artifacts will remain with Cathedral City High School so that it can be shown to future students and staff.  My gratitude to Markie who brilliantly photographed them and to Mr. Cauthron for opening his room to me so this presentation would become a reality."

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