WCHS on SoundCloud and Listen Live on Quicktime!!!

UPDATED TO 1/31/14 go to SoundCloud to listen, download, comment, share, etc. https://soundcloud.com/wchsradio OR to listen LIVE click below and tune into WCHS streaming live audio 24/7 http://wchsradioclub.blogspot.com/p/wchs-listen-live.html

BTHS students win best in state in the Verizon app challenge!

BTHS juniors Phoebe M., Mathu K., Sara C., Kellie L., Amy L., and Sarah F. have won best in state in the Verizon Innovative App Challenge! Their app concept, called No Species Left Behind, helps better the environment by raising awareness about endangered plant species.

**EDIT: The girls have now won best in region, which means they won $5,000 for Biotech and move on to nationals! Congratulations!!!

The contest web site says that "The Verizon Innovative App Challenge provides the opportunity for middle school and high school students, working with a faculty advisor, to apply their STEM knowledge, ingenuity, and creativity to develop an original mobile app concept that incorporates STEM and addresses a need or problem in their school or community.

The goal of the Challenge is to increase student interest and knowledge in STEM subjects and mobile technology through an engaging and empowering learning experience."

You can see the winners from all 50 states here. 

Congratulations, ladies! 

WCHS students win at the IBS Radio Awards!!!

WCHS'ers Sean Gilbert, Pat Weber, Kevin Milton, and Matt Stromberg were finalists in the IBS (Intercollegiate Broadcast System) Awards for BEST PODCAST (High School) for 2014!!!! Great work, guys! CONGRATULATIONS. Here is their Award Winning podcast. Enjoy!!!

"The Yellow Wallpaper" is Coming to a Theatre Near You!

A couple of my ninth graders who have a passion for the digital video field decided to create a movie trailer for the short story we are reading in class: “The Yellow Wallpaper”.
Awesome job!

CHS New Media Class (MP2) Book Podcast

This year, we're trying something different in New Media.  At the start of the marking period, pairs of students selected a book from a list provided by the instructor, read the book, then participated in a podcast recording in front of the entire class.  Students presented the subject matter and their opinion of the book and answered questions from their peers.  A number of books inspired some lively discussion!

The podcast is 2.5 hours long (good books generate great conversation); below are the show notes with the approximate time each podcast starts.  Enjoy!

Ellipses, the CHS New Media Podcast (Download the file via right click + Save Link As)

Episode 1

Introductory song: Twitter Tweetin’ by Carrie Dahlby (courtesy of Music Alley)

Announcers: Chris Napoleon and Francesca Resnick

1 minute: No Safety in Numbers by : Podcast by Ms. Gesin and Francesca

• Summary of the Book
• Personal opinions on the book and its characters
• How the book relates to the The Breakfast Club
• Criticism of the book
• Closing Summary

28 minutes: The Dinner by Herman Koch: Podcast by Ashley and Shannon

• Summary of the Book
• Thoughts and predictions of how the book will end
• Analysis of the characters
• Comparison between the United States and the Netherlands, where the book takes place.
• Personal opinions of the book
• Closing Summary

41 minutes: Free by Chris Anderson: Podcast by Megan and Jake

• Discussion about how companies make money from free services.
• Story about the Monty Python Youtube channel and marketing plan.
• Four separate Free Marketing Plans discussed in book
• Direct Cross
• The Three Party Market
• Freemium
• Non-monetary Markets
• Overall opinions of book
• Closing Summary

1 hour: Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie: Podcast by Jackie and Margaret

• Summary of the Book
• Personal opinions of the book and of the TOMS business plan  
• Personal experiences that relate to the topics discussed in the book
• Discussion about the future of the business world  
• Closing Summary

1 hour 15 minutes: What Would Google Do? by Jeff Jarvis: Podcast by Ailsa and Chris

• Summary of Book’s main points
• Analyzing Google’s philosophy
• Customer Service Discussion
• Discussion about the openness of the web
• Overall Opinions of the book followed by class debate and discussion
• Closing Summary

1 hour 40 minutes: The Facebook Effect by David Kirkpatrick: Podcast by Andrew and Ronak

• Purpose and importance of the actual Facebook Effect
• Comparing/Contrasting “The Facebook Effect” and “The Social Network”
• How Mark Zuckerberg really started Facebook from his dorm room
• Exchange of opinions on David Kirkpatrick’s writing and questionable objectivity as author.
• Discussion of Mark Zuckerberg’s character and personality
• Analysis of David Kirkpatrick’s predictions about Facebook in the future
• The Importance of Facebook in modern society
• Closing Summary

1 hour 59 minutes Monkey Wrench by PJ Tracy: Podcast by Evan and Jake

• Summary of the Book
• Opinions of the Book
• Class-wide discussion regarding violent video games and mass shootings.
• Observations of the actual reality of the book
• Audience questions and answers about which video games they wish were real
• Are violent video games and weak gun laws the cause of these shootings?
• Closing Summary

Closing song: Facebook Me by Jeff Kornberg (courtesy of Music Alley)

New Media: Yelp, Instagram & 4Square

CHS Junior Ashley Chu shot this video to explain her social media plan for the NY Knicks that incorporates Yelp, Foursquare, and Instagram.