Fifth-graders Jacob Wiist and Domoinique Wesley sat in the Forest Park Elementary computer lab Wednesday, furiously moving arrows on their keyboards as each played a computer game the other had designed.
Domoinique’s game, “Sky Invaders,” took place in a world where evil creatures lurked in the clouds. Jacob’s game, called simply “The Wiist,” involved a protagonist racing to get home before a looming apocalypse.
“I beat your game,” Domoinique said. “That was too easy.”
“I’m still working on it,” Jacob shot back. “They didn’t give me enough time to finish.”
The boys were participating in an after-school computer game club sponsored by the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. The museum is partnering with four schools this year to offer the program. Next year, it hopes the schools find a way to keep the program self-sustaining.
The two-week program is meant to sharpen students’ art and computer skills while keeping them engaged and excited about learning.
“There’s a huge discount between art classes and actual jobs,” said Max Meyer, director of children’s education at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. “We’re trying to get schools to give students skills that will be helpful later in life.”
Art teacher and club leader Amanda Blackman said the 33 students in the club love the program and can’t stop talking about it during the school day.
“I wanted to do something fun,” Domoinique said. “And this is the coolest thing ever.”
Recognitions
•Eli Crow, senior at Leo Junior-Senior High School, won the writing award and a silver medal in the national Scholastic Art and Writing Skills contest.
•Ivy Tech Community College – Northeast Chancellor Jerrilee K. Mosier was awarded the Most Outstanding College Administrator Award from the Indiana Region of Phi Theta Kappa for 2011.
•Jessica Gadson, a student in early childhood education at Ivy Tech Community College – Northeast, received a 2012 Newman Civic Fellows Award.
•Kekionga Middle School student Ibrahim Dahab won the Fort Wayne Community Schools 2012 Middle School Persuasive Speech Contest with a speech on “Nuclear Power in Iran.”
•Devan Walker was first-runner up and Lalita Ford was second runner-up in the Fort Wayne Community Schools 2012 Middle School Persuasive Speech Contest.
•Trine University engineering students captured a third-place award at the 2012 American Society for Engineering Education’s Illinois-Indiana Conference on March 17 at Valparaiso University.
IPFW
• Assistant professor of anthropology Hal Odden will present “Globalization, Rapid Social and Cultural Change, and Adolescent Health and Well-Being in Samoa and Other Pacific Island Nations” at noon today in Science Building, Room 168.
•WorldFest 2012 is Tuesday and Wednesday at the university. The Fort Wayne Japanese Taiko Drummers will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Walb Student Union Ballroom; food demonstrations and tastings will take place at noon Wednesday in Walb Student Union, Room G-08; and the French Poetry Contest will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Walb Student Union, rooms 222–226.
•The Doermer Dialogue with Business Leaders will take place from 7:30 to 11 a.m. Thursday in the Rhinehart Recital Hall. For more information, contact Lyman Lewis, external relations for the Doermer School of Business, at 481-7474 or lewisl@ipfw.edu.
Ivy Tech
•The college is hosting the sixth annual Edible Book Festival from noon to 2 p.m. today at the college’s Student Life Center on the North Campus, 4900 St. Joe Road.
Saint Francis
•The university will host a Proactive Elder Care Workshop April 20 at the north campus from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The workshop will provide information for people whose lives are affected i by the care of elderly loved ones. For workshop registration, visit www.proactiveeldercareinc.com.
Trine
•Sean Wagner will present “Japanese Culture: How I Won the War” at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in Wells Theater in Taylor Hall on the main campus in Angola.
•The Overlooked Film Festival will show “Trust” at 7 p.m. Thursday in Fabiani Theatre in the University Center on the main campus in Angola.
•A march and rally in conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness Month will begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday on the north lawn of Best Hall on the main campus in Angola. Guest speaker Katie O’Bryan of the Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Assault will speak at 7:30 p.m.
Manchester
•Jillian Kinzie of the National Survey of Student Engagement will present “Making the Most of College: How Engaged are Today’s Students in Educationally Purposeful Activities?” at 4 p.m. Wednesday in Cordier Auditorium on the North Manchester campus.
