B INNEKILL Vol. XXIX No. 17
a monthly publication for students, faculty, staff and friends
Ice carving is back! Ice carving returned to the Garde Manger class in a big way this week.
Smart pen makes huge difference for visually impaired student By Beth Smith, Teacher Education Transfer
Michael Stamets, Instructor, and Michael Niccoli, Adjunct, taught students how to transform a solid block of ice into a frosty work of art. (Left) With chain saw in hand, Tyrell Edge begins the first part of his carving. He and his teammate for the project, Tony Walton, created a harp. Tom Blau uses an angle grinder while Heather Chestnut uses a six-prong chipper as the swan they are carving begins to take shape. Their swan (below) was used as a banquet centerpiece that evening.
Dec. 12, 2012
Through the efforts of Riggs and ADA Transition Services Coordinator Dr. Ellen Wertlieb, the Carl Gage is a typical Human smart pen entered Carl’s life. The Services major, weighing whether pen aids in notetaking by simultato transfer to another college or to neously recording audio and gain meaningful employment after linking it to written notes through SCCC. But first, he had to take a a special notebook. During his class he had been dreading: lectures, Riggs uses the pen and algebra. special paper to write down notes which His reason are for the projected dread onto a wasn’t just screen because he behind had not him for taken math the entire in years class. At and wasn’t the end sure how of class, he would he gives do; for Carl the Carl it was pen and much notebook bigger so that than that. Carl Gage (right) with Don Riggs, Assistant he can Carl has Professor. The smart pen has made learning been algebra much easier for Carl, who is legally blind. keep track of legally the lecture. If Carl didn’t catch a blind since the age of 5 and while particular equation, he simply taps he’s done fairly well getting the notebook paper twice and the through his classes, this one pen picks up that part of the proved to be the most difficult. lecture and plays it for him. “I’m trying to put x’s and y’s and “I would be lost without it,” letters together,” Carl said. “It’s Carl said. hard to keep all of those signs in your head. You have to memorize Carl wants other students to know so much.” about the benefits of using a smart pen. “I use it because of my eyes,” Carl signed up for algebra taught he said. “People with short-term by Assistant Professor Don Riggs memory, hearing problems, this summer. He struggled to keep attention deficit and other issues up with the lessons and do well. could use it also,” he said. Eventually the weight of the class was too much for him and Carl The library has five smart pens and decided to take it again this fall. notebooks available to be checked But toward the end of his time in out as easily as books. The only the class this summer, he requirement is that you have to be discovered a learning tool that registered with the ADA Transition changed everything. Services Office to use them.