Salem Central School District’s first Tech7 Computer Fair was a great success. Parents were able to see student computer projects that earned them nationally recognized technology literacy awards. Salem Central School District is taking part in a grant funded program called Tech Yes. Tech Yes provided the school with resource materials, a website that the students used to work on their projects to keep track of their success, and the technology literacy certificates. After completing two projects that demonstrated the ability to use technology to find, organize, create and share, students earned national recognition of their technology literacy. Mr. De Soto is the tech yes advisor and 7th grade technology teacher that organized the computer fair. “It was amazing to see the expressions on the parent’s faces when they saw what their child was able to create” explained Mr. De Soto. Student projects varied from presentations and slideshows to movies and websites. “I did not know that she could make a website” said one student’s mother. Shelly Dean, a school board member that attended the fair, was impressed with the student’s projects and said that she wanted the students to show her how to do some of the computer skills that went into the projects that she saw. Mr. De Soto said “21st century skills are in demand and Salem Central School District students are ready for the challenge that they will face in the future by completing this program. I am already looking forward to next year’s Tech Yes success stories”. Congratulations to all of the seventh grade technology students that earned this certification.
