Psychology Class at Collier High School

Collier High School’s First Academic/Technology Expo By: Mrs. Eileen Palazza and Ms. Nicole DelGiodice-Reiff

Parent/Teacher Conferences not just for parents and teachers anymore! This year our students had the opportunity to showcase their creativity in the documentaries they created about specific events that have occurred in history. Utilizing the theme “Man’s Inhumanity to Man” students chose a variety of topics ranging from the Vietnam Conflict to the war in Afghanistan. As parents viewed the exhibits it was obvious that the documentaries not only spoke to them but gave them an appreciation of just how talented and technology savvy our students are.

 
There were many tasks the students had to accomplish in creating their exhibits including learning new computer programs (ProShow and Adobe Premiere) and then integrating sound bytes and a narrative into their movies. These latter steps were done in the school’s sound studio with the help of Joe McMerty and Mark Tegeder from the technology department. The finalization of all this work was no easy feat. Putting it all together, as any show veteran knows, is most daunting. So many details to get right, the unforeseen catastrophes, panic setting in that something essential has been forgotten. Through it all our students –from the most disorganized, the most anxious, to the most impulsive–rose to the occasion. They persevered and never lost their enthusiasm about what they were doing. We are very proud of the fantastic job they did. We hope the Academic/Technology Expo is the first of what will be an annual event at Collier High School.