People select a word to represent the year. Most people would choose “Challenging,” “Flexible,” or even “Hopeful” for 2020. For 2021, the word for my Computer Science classes is “Create.” Students are using their coding, and programming skills learned in 2020 to “CREATE” in 2021.

In the Intro to Computer Science class, students use their knowledge in the coding language Python to create music in an application called EarSketch. The students are working towards creating their ringtone; however, students have discussed using coding music in other projects. A new and exciting class for the second semester is AR/VR. In this class, students learn to program and build Virtual Worlds and Augmented Reality. They can “Create” worlds around us or new worlds to interact inside. Augmented Reality will allow students to “Create” objects that can be manipulated in the real world. The ability to create AR/VR provides students with many opportunities. The web design and development class are working on an extraordinary project. They are “Creating” a website for Lexington High School. The name of this website will be “The Say-So”. This name may not make much sense, but let me explain. The Say-So was the name given to the Lexington High School newspaper in 1920. This newspaper shared the events and news of Lexington High School for many years. This was the media used in the 1900s. Technology has changed the media from print to digital, and websites are now the new media to share information. This class will celebrate the tradition and history of Lexington High School by blending it with today’s media. I need to give credit to Lexington High School’s journalism and broadcasting teacher, Mrs. Brockmoller, for sharing the history of The Say-So. I also want to give a huge thank you to Crystal Werger, director of the Dawson County Historical Society and Museum, for providing more historical background and a copy of an original The Say-So printed in 1920. Students are working to create this website, so stay tuned for information when they’re ready to launch the new site. Students in Robotics class are learning how to “Create” Mechanical Advantage in their mechanical design and builds. They can “Create” more torque or speed to provide a solution to the problem their robotic design is trying to solve. The ability to change torque or speed has allowed students to “Create” better and more efficient robots.

The power of technology is the ability to “Create.” To create programs, applications, or devices to help solve problems or to simplify a process. Computer Science provides students the ability and opportunity to be creators in their world as many people use the word Hope as their word for the new year. My Computer Science students use the word “Create.”