Social Media Week - Compton Unified School District

Transcription

Serving Compton
Carson
Enterprise
South Los Angeles
Willowbrook
Compton Unified School District
501 South Santa Fe Avenue
Compton, California 90221
www.compton.k12.ca.us
Contact:
Ron T. Suazo
Office of Communications
(310) 604-6529
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2013
Compton High Live Streams Discussions on STEAM & Community
Activism to the World at First Ever Social Media Week Event
Online Broadcasts Also Highlight the School’s Efforts to Clean the Compton Creek
COMPTON, Calif., — Compton High School broadcast streaming video of panel
discussions on the role Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM)
initiatives and social media to viewers around the world, Thursday, September 26.
Sponsored by Nokia and social media site Livestream, Social Media Week, connected online
viewers to numerous events streamed by participants in cities including London, Chicago,
Barcelona, Berlin, Hong Kong, and the Compton Unified School District (CUSD) high school.
With the cooperation of Dakar Interactive and host Richard Gant (“Men of a Certain Age,”
“The Big Lebowski”), Compton High School’s series of panel discussions were held in the
school’s auditorium, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guest speakers and students discussed a range of
issues designed to spark interests in environmental science and community service. The
worldwide event also provided the high school with an opportunity to showcase its STEAMbased curriculum, which was developed with nonprofit Heal the Bay, to online users across the
country and around the world. Additionally, attendees were able to view an auto exhibition
presented by the Up Fest United in Peace Foundation, featuring low rider-style cars.
Compton High’s live streaming program was split into three sessions. “The Greening of
Compton Creek” discussed the school’s efforts to raise awareness about the local watershed,
which is often cited as one of Los Angeles County’s most polluted, and environmental clean ups
in the Compton area. Students also talked about their recent Compton Creek clean up event and
used hash tags such as #doitforthecreek throughout the event. Panelists included Col. Kim
Colloton, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Robert Delgadillo, City of Compton’s Planning and
Economic Development; Sonya Trammell-Jones, Army Corp of Engineers E-CyberMission; and
Edward Murphy, watershed education manager, Heal the Bay.
(MORE)
“Excellence in Progress”
501 South Santa Fe Avenue, Compton, California 90221 – 310.639.4321
Serving Compton
Carson
Enterprise
South Los Angeles
Willowbrook
Compton High School Participates in Worldwide Social Media Week Event
page two
The “Indy Social Media Garage” session introduced Compton High students, teachers, and
online viewers to nonprofit Starting Grid, an organization dedicated to exposing young minority
students to science-based careers in motorsports. The session featured Skype or Google Hangout
video conference discussions with Bryan Herta Auto Sports in Indianapolis, Joe Ellis Customs,
Starting Grid’s Principal Chris Miles, and Zimbabwean Indy Car driver Axcil Jeffries. Compton
High students also connected with students at Westside High School in Gary, Indiana.
During the final session, titled “Race Matters, Dissecting the Digital Divide,” panelists
discussed ways to develop and improve Compton High’s STEM program. Guest speakers
included Michael Orosz of USC’s Internet Sciences Institute, Compton High School’s Principal
Dr. Letitia Bradley, the Afro-Futurists Perspective (via Skype/Google Hangout), and online radio
talk show host Tina Michelle, who brought her “Tina Speaks” program to the event.
Compton High School’s Science Department Chairperson Dr. Lorenita Holloway said she
wanted students to see the potential to learn science and be active members of their community
through social media. “We’re here to discuss three different issues affecting our community.
All of these panels are streamed live on the Internet and to the rest of the world. Our school is
one of over 50 in the LA county area today,” she said. Dr. Holloway explained that the school’s
participation in Social Media Week was designed to demonstrate the learning opportunities,
especially in STEM or STEAM areas, available to students. “Science is important. We have to
be better about showing students the connections between science and everyday life. This is one
of the ways we can reach them by using tools they use like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
It’s also a chance for students to see beyond their own community.”
Principal Letitia Bradley, Ed.D., said the event also served to teach students how to empower
themselves academically and how to inspire positive changes in their community through social
media. “The connection between technology and student achievement is undeniable. By
participating in this event we inject Compton into the worldwide conversation of that connection,
especially as it relates to increasing access to STEM resources for our students,” she noted.
“When you take into consideration the fact that we’ve tied in the Compton Creek cleanup with
Social Media Week, it shows the connection between the students, their ability to have an
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Serving Compton
Carson
Enterprise
South Los Angeles
Willowbrook
Compton High School Participates in Worldwide Social Media Week Event
page three
impact, and to make it known on a large scale.”
Edward Murphy, watershed education manager, Heal the Bay, said Compton High School has
been actively raising awareness about the Compton Creek clean up efforts, and is looking to gain
more exposure through social media. “Our beaches and watersheds are pretty polluted and suffer
any number of impairments; one of them being social neglect and disconnection. How do you
solve those problems? One way is through outreach. Social media is a new mode of outreach
that helps with communicating our message,” he explained.
Murphy added that because the creek is right behind the high school, students and staff feel a
sense of ownership for it and believe the community needs to share the responsibility with them.
“We are participating with the school, the city, and the Army Corps of Engineers to send the
message out that these places are accessible but in need of care. Compton Creek is one of the
most polluted water bodies in Los Angeles County. It runs right behind Compton High School.
The kids cross it on their way to and from school every day,” he said. “With social media, any
increase in visibility is an increase in awareness. Even if their level of awareness is through a
hash tag, that’s something. Every gateway is a way in. The creek belongs to this community.
Why not help the community take care of it and make it their own?”
Vanessa Felix, ninth-grader and Associated Student Body representative for Compton High
School, said she was inspired by her school’s participation in Social Media Week. “I want to be
a part of improving our city and school’s reputation beyond Compton,” she said. “It’s important
for students to know how we can impact our environment, not just Compton and the creek, but
everywhere else too. We should use the technology we have to spread the word.”
To watch Compton High School’s panel discussions including “The Greening of Compton
Creek,” visit http://new.livestream.com/smwla/events/2394118
Additional information may be obtained by contacting CUSD’s Office of Communications at
(310) 604-6529 or by visiting www.compton.k12.ca.us. Online users can connect with CUSD
via www.facebook.com/ComptonUnified and www.twitter.com/ComptonUnified.
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Serving Compton
Carson
Enterprise
South Los Angeles
Willowbrook
PHOTOS AND CAPTIONS TO ACCOMPANY:
September 27, 2013
Live and Direct – Two Compton High School students share their thoughts on the power of
social media, Thursday, September 26, during the school’s live Internet streaming broadcast of
its first ever Social Media Week event. To their right are: Tina Michelle, host of Internet radio
talk show “Tina Speaks,” and actor/event host Richard Gant, who moderated throughout each of
the panel discussions.
(MORE)
Serving Compton
Carson
Enterprise
South Los Angeles
Willowbrook
September 27, 2013
Streaming Discourse – From left to right are panelists Col. Kim Colloton, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers; Robert Delgadillo, City of Compton Planning and Economic Development; Compton
High School Science Chair Dr. Lorenita Holloway; and Edward Murphy, watershed education
manager, Heal the Bay. Each of them spoke about the importance of using social media to raise
awareness and activism for the improvement of the Compton Creek, Thursday, September 26.
(MORE)
Serving Compton
Carson
Enterprise
South Los Angeles
Willowbrook
September 27, 2013
Lowrider Tech – Students take a closer look at the technology and mechanics of one of six
lowriders on display outside Compton High School’s auditorium, Thursday, September 27,
during the school’s first ever Social Media Week event. The cars, which belong to members of
the Up Fest United in Peace Foundation, were put on display to showcase real-world STEM
applications and opportunities.
(MORE)
Serving Compton
Carson
Enterprise
South Los Angeles
Willowbrook
September 27, 2013
#doitforthecreek – Throughout Social Media Week, Compton High School students have used
the hash tag #doitforthecreek on social media sites including Twitter and Facebook to raise
awareness about the Compton Creek, which runs behind the school site and through much of the
city. Edward Murphy, watershed education manager, Heal the Bay, said it is one of the most
polluted bodies of water in Los Angeles County and is need of care by the community.
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Social Media Week - Compton Unified School District

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