Friday, January 16, 2015
ws.com
Page 21
Loveland School Using Stanley Hotel’s Maze Design Contest As Geometry Curriculum From left, New Visions Charter School students Alyson Buckner, Elijah Stubbs, James Macdonald, Daryl Stolte (teacher), Jack Kelly, and Sarah Van Hare ponder the design for The Stanley Hotel's hedge maze. Photo by Cassie Fanning.
By capitalizing on The Stanley Hotel's international design contest for a hedge maze to be located on the iconic hotel's front lawn, a teacher at New Vision Charter School (NVCS) of Loveland is showing his students what it's like to run a business. “Not only does (the contest) have a math flavor to it, it stretches the students to work creativity,” said Daryl Stolte, who teaches geometry to an advanced group of five eighth-grade students at NVCS. Stolte first read about the contest in his local paper. “I was personally excited when I read the article,” he said . “It kind of appealed to me from the analytical point of view.” The maze design contest at the hotel was announced in December of last year. The resulting maze will be a nod to the movie, The Shining (1980), based on a
novel of the same name by Stephen King. The Stanley Hotel was the inspiration for King's novel, according to the author; the famous horror movie contained a hedge maze which was pivotal to the plot. After years of fielding questions about the location of the maze, which had never before been a feature of The Stanley (built in 1909), the hotel's owner, John Cullen, decided to have one created. The installation date, in spring of this year, is designed to mark the 20th anniversary of Cullen owning the hotel. “Math requires precision, abstract thinking - maze design is a cross between creativity and that,” Stolte said. “And geometry is a visual math.” For this creative teacher, the project was perfect for developing curriculum.
Town Board Resolution Supports Broadband Ballot Issue
Stolte has been teaching geometry at New Vision for four years, on a volunteer basis. “I've been involved in the school ever since it started, I was on the board as well, and I've continued my involvement this way,” he said. NVCS, serving grades K-8, was formed in the Thompson School District in 2005 by a group of Loveland parents. “We are committed to creating and sustaining a school that promotes academic excellence and sets high standards for the personal growth of all its students,” stated the NVCS founding committee on its website. Stolte's daughter went through the school, he served on the board of directors, and now he contributes by providing students with the benefit of the expertise he gained while working in the high tech industry. “Teaching was a second-choice for me, career-wise,” he said. “This allows me to scratch that itch, so to speak.” Geometry is usually taught in high school, but at NVCS Stolte was allowed to develop a class for those advanced math students who were ready to take it. This year, that group consists of five eighthgraders: Alyson Buckner, Elijah Stubbs, James Macdonald, Jack Kelly, and Sarah Van Hare. The Stanley Hotel's maze design contest was exactly the type of thing that would fit into Stolte's idea of how best to teach his students the concepts - and the relevancy of geometry. Drawing on his vast experience in lead-
ing teams in various engineering projects, Stotle decided to treat this as if it was a project being taken on by a landscape architectural firm. The class created “Visionary Maze Design Company,” and each of the students were given specific role in the project. A project manager, a creative coordinator, a computer tools director, and a presentation author make up the team. They have developed a preliminary project plan and next week, will travel to Estes Park to have a site visit at the hotel. “We're approaching the contest as if we were really the company, who wants to win the 'job,' “ Stolte explained. “I naturally think of teaching these things this way,” he said. “This (project) is a perfect real-world thing. It gets the students excited about (what they are learning).” “Landscape designers and architects, you might have met your match with this group of bright young students,” said Cullen. “These eighth graders are raising the bar with two weeks left to go, we look forward to seeing what ideas you think will measure up.” The Stanley Hotel's maze contest is open until January 31, 2015, at midnight, and is open to anyone - anywhere in the world who wants to create a design for consideration. For more information about the contest, submission guidelines, and design parameters, visit www.stanleyhotel.com/themaze.
Keep Your Donors Loving You For Life!
A workshop for nonprofit staff, board members and volunteers At Tuesday night’s regular meeting, the ices including broadband internet servThe Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Estes Park Town Board unanimously ices, that are competitive in speed, cost, Center is pleased to announce the first passed a resolution in support of the Feb. and reliability are essential for local busiworkshop of 2015 – Stop Donor Attrition 3 Special Election ballot issue asking vot- nesses and citizens to successfully comToday: Keep Your Donors Loving You for ers if the Town should be allowed to pro- pete in today's globally competitive enviLife! This timely workshop will be held vide, directly or indirectly, advanced ronment and; on Thursday, January 22 from 4 – 6 p.m. telecommunications in the Estes Valley. WHEREAS the Town of Estes Park, in the Hondius Room at the Estes Valley An affirmative vote would allow the through its participation in Platte River Library, 335 Elkhorn Avenue, Town to make its fiber optic network Power Authority (PRPA), has access to Estes Park. available for high speed internet for the an existing fiber optic ring in Estes Park Year-end campaigns are becommunity. Special election information that could help make competitive hind us and now it’s time to for voters may be found at telecommunications services available think about your strategy to rewww.estes.org/elections. Following is the within our Town and immediate region tain and even engage your complete resolution: and; donors. In this workshop, parRESOLUTION #03-15 WHEREAS in 2005, Title 29, Article 27 ticipants will learn how to ENDORSING THE ESTES PARK FEB- of the Colorado Revised Statutes elimistem the tide of donor atRUARY 3, 2015 SPECIAL ELECTION nated the Town of Estes Park's right to trition. Skills and conBALLOT ISSUE TO REESTABLISH directly or indirectly provide telecommucepts you can use NOW THE TOWN'S RIGHT TO EITHER DI- nications services, including broadband to attract and retain RECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PROVIDE internet services, without a vote of the donors for life will be covered and inALL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERV- people to reestablish this right and; clude: ICES, INCLUDING BROADBAND INWHEREAS reestablishing this right will • What you must know about the differTERNET SERVICES, RESTRICTED allow the Town to leverage all commuence between a donor’s first and second SINCE 2005 BY TITLE 29, ARTICLE 27 nity-owned fiber optic infrastructure for gift OF THE COLORADO REVISED the benefit of its citizens and businesses; • The “spark” is your best friend, how to STATUTES NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT REuse it to your advantage WHEREAS The Estes Park Board of SOLVED BY THE BOARD OF • What your communications say to Trustees have unanimously referred to TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF ESTES donors the voters of Estes Park, on February 3 PARK, COLORADO to support and en• What every donor wants from you (but 2015, the Special Election Ballot Issue to dorse the Estes Park February 3, 2015 may not tell you) reestablish the Town's right to either diSpecial Election Ballot Issue to reestabrectly or indirectly provide all telecomlish the Town's right to either directly or • What to say when you’re not asking munications services, including broadindirectly provide all telecommunica• Asking more effectively band internet services, restricted since tions services, including broadband in• How to find out what your donors RE2005 by Title 29, Article 27 of the Colternet services, restricted since 2005 by ALLY think of you orado Revised Statutes and; Title 29, Article 27 of the Colorado Re• 12 steps to donor-centered writing that WHEREAS telecommunications serv- vised Statutes. builds trust
• What your thank you letters must include • If you only change one thing, do this This workshop will be presented by Bob Francella, Principal and Senior Advisor at FRANCELLA - Changing The World For Good (www.bobfrancella.com). Bob blends conventional fundraising wisdom with contemporary donor retention research, resulting in strategies that raise more money and keep donors loving your nonprofit organization for life. Bob has earned recognition as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). At FRANCELLA, Bob helps nonprofits succeed through relationship-based fundraising and donor communications that reverse donor attrition, increase donor retention, and create donors for life. The cost of the workshop is $21 for EPNRC members and $30 for nonmembers. For membership information please contact Jill Lancaster at director@epnonprofit.org To register, please visit the Estes Valley Library website at www.estesvalleylibrary.org, select the Calendar, proceed to the January 22 date, select the event then click “register now.” For additional information on these or other programs and services of the Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Center, please contact Jill Lancaster at director@epnonprofit.org or 970-4807805.