Brette Woessner, New Tech Network School Development Coach
Each year, the Best in Network Award enables us to surface, recognize and learn from projects across the network that create rich learning experiences for students and that can challenge and inspire our network’s practice of project-based learning.The winner and students are invited to attend the New Tech Annual Conference in July for special sessions and a chance to present their project at the opening session. New Tech Network is proud to announce that Lisa Gottfried from New Technology High School is the 2019 Best in Network award winner for her project: Napa Lighted Art Project.
The Napa Lighted Art Project was a semester long project creating a 6-minute lighted art piece (with artwork inspired by The Beatles) for the 20,000 audience members who visited downtown Napa for the Lighted Art Festival. Working with mentors from the UK on projection art, developers, marketing and education folks from Adobe, and leaders from the Napa Parks and Recreation department, students created original artwork and sound design. The final piece was projected on a 70 foot wall over the course of a week, alongside the work of professional artists . (Check out the project for yourself in the Echo Community using the reference code: BZ349318218_eadfbaad406d4415887fd02975baa7ec.)
Photo by: Israel Valencia, Infinity Visuals, www.infinityvisuals.com
We would like to thank the BIN committee members, NTN facilitators, instructional coaches, and leaders, who thoughtfully reviewed every submission:
Alice Fuglsang, Indian Hills Junior High; Brennan Graham, Winton Woods Middle School; Carissa Richardson Lahrman, Towles New Tech; Corina Favela, Bulldog New Tech @ Brown Middle School; Heather Quinn, New Tech @ Gereau; Kaylee Sevier, Woodmont K-8; Melissa Wilhite, Mary Belle McCorkle Academy of Excellence K-8; Michael Delaney, Carolina High School; Nicholas Hawley, Niles New Tech; Shelley Juhl-O’Brien, Samueli Academy; Terry Hussey, Goshen Middle School; Valerie Gonzalez, El Paso Independent School District; Wanda Littlejohn, Carolina High School
The committee’s praise of the Napa Lighted Art Project included the following commentary:
“I am so inspired by this project. Everything in this project was authentic and mirrored a real-world working situation from daily scaffolding to benchmarks and the culminating product. I could go on and on and on about this project – I am in complete awe that this connection was possible. I feel that this facilitator and the learners truly deserve to be recognized for all of their effort…I’m beyond impressed.”
“When I review a project and think, “OMG, I wish my own children would have the opportunity to experience this project!”, then I know that it would be an excellent NTN Best in Network project. I feel like the entire learning experience allows student choice, exploration and ignites a passion for learning….This project has so many valuable pieces that open doors to experiences that envelop everything that New Tech represents.”
“This project required students to demonstrate professional level graphic design skills to create a product that would be shared with their community. Students used time management strategies such as Scrum that mirror what is done in the real work world. Students had the opportunity to work with a mentor who is a professional graphic design artist. I also really liked the use of “pay days” as a model for students receiving feedback and the facilitator encouraging the creation of valuable work.”
“What a beautiful gift to the Napa community. The collaborative effort was enormous.”
Congratulations Lisa and her students! We are impressed and inspired by your hard work and can’t wait to see you at NTAC!
