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Ideas to Impact: Your Gifts at Work! PCCAPS
The place is literally buzzing with ideas. Loudly. 66 students are working in groups of two's and three's, in deep discussions with their teachers, mentors and each other. Even though it's still early in the semester, the Juniors and Seniors at PCCAPS are already immersed, working on projects as diverse as designing headsets you can sleep in, convincing local food purveyors to stop using Styrofoam containers, and figuring out the best design for floating wind turbines to help lower the cost of electricity in the Caribbean.
Jessica DiCaprio, Paige Castro and Sienna Leger Redell are working on a Climate Analysis for client Summit
County. Surprisingly, one hasn't been done since 2006. "I'm really interested in becoming an environmental engineer, and this seemed like a perfect project," says DiCaprio. "One thing I've learned is that you're on the computer, analyzing numbers, more than you're in the field." Paige agrees, "I imagined being outside a lot as an environmental engineer, and I was kind of surprised by how much we're inside. That's good to know before going to college." Still, both girls say this has solidified their decision to study environmental engineering in college.
Courty Studebaker and Zack Danninger, are working on a marketing project for the PC Library. "The library has done this big remodel, and it has all kinds of cool stuff available for students, like a 3D printer and lots of Macs. But their lowest user demographic is teenagers. So, they came to us to put together a plan to market to teenagers."
Last year, Studebaker was in the Engineering program at CAPS, and learned so much he thought he'd try the Business Marketing program. "We had a really cool project last year, to design a better sit-ski for the National Ability Center. I found that the math and physics you need to do to engineer the sit-ski is pretty difficult, even though I've done well in my math and physics classes. So, I thought I'd try the business program to see if I like that better. That's really helpful before I decide what I want to study in college."
Lyndsay Huntsman is the new Director at PCCAPS, after several years as Assistant Principal at PCHS. "It's exciting to be able to... Read More
To learn more about PCCAPS, go to caps.pcschools.us. Listen to students talking about their CAPS experience on KPCW. PCEF provides funding for software and other materials that are needed each semester, based on client projects. Together with our donors, we've been supporting PCCAPS since it's inception in 2012. To give to this or other PCEF programs, please click here. |
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PCSD Families Beat the Call
Thanks to parent gifts we will be able to fund programs like PCCAPS, art, robotics, science fairs, innovative teacher grants, and more at our schools! Your gifts fund over 60 programs that impact 96% of our students!
33% of you (Park City School District families) have donated to PCEF! Your $180 gifts make a difference in the classroom and students truly appreciate it! This year the participation of PCEF donors increased at every single school! The Papa John's Beat the Call winning classrooms can be found at www.pcef4kids.org.
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Men4Ed
Men4Ed wants to make a difference in the lives of Park City students, outside the classroom. The goal is 1,000 men, giving $1000 each, to build a fund of $1 million dollars. Annual gifts will be voted on by Men4Ed membership, to support activities that help students better themselves and their community.
Men4Ed is also about building a network of men to become engaged in our schools. Once you join Men4Ed, you become part of something bigger and you can take advantage of outings, volunteer opportunities, and social events.
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Nelson Dellis
Were you amazed by Gala speaker Nelson Dellis' memory? He's written a children's book to help teach kids some simple memory tricks - helpful when memorizing all those facts!
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PC Prospector
Check out the Fall Edition of the PCHS student newspaper, the PC Prospector! Great articles about the School Bond, Author-in-Residence and more. Together with our donors, we provide financial support for the print edition and website/app.
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Teacher Spotlight - Jana Tullis
"I was one of those kids that set up a chalk board and taught my stuffed animals in my room," says Jana Tullis, 2nd grade teacher at McPolin Elementary. "I've always wanted to be a teacher." After receiving her degree in Elementary and Special Education, she headed from Wisconsin to Alaska!
"I was ready for a bit of an adventure. I interviewed over the phone for a position in Anchorage, and they hired me right away. I taught Special Ed there for seven years, mostly K-3, both in the Resource room and in small groups in the regular classroom. I really wanted the kids to be able to do what their peers were doing, just at their own level."
She met her husband there (McPolin 5th grade teacher Andy Tullis) and they were married at PCMR in 2008. "Andy had some family in Utah, and we decided we wanted to get back to the lower 48 to be closer to our families. We love the outdoors and Park City seemed like the perfect place. We interviewed with Bob Edmiston over the phone, and we both got positions at McPolin for the fall of 2008!"
When asked about the difference between teaching in Park City vs. Anchorage, Jana says, "Besides the size? Anchorage had 60 elementary schools! Other than that, the biggest difference is the support here is amazing. Everybody knows everybody, and you support each other because there are so few people. It's one of the reasons we love McPolin - it's such a special place.
"We also have the flexibility to be creative and innovative. And there are resources here for things like that, like the Ed Foundation. The funding for Wixie, an online author program I'm using in my classroom this year, is one example. The kids can write a story, and I can set the standards, so the kids can learn about writing through creativity, not just memorization. "
What's the best part of Jana's day? "It's getting kids to realize that it's ok for them to have high expectations, and getting them to realize 'hey, I can do it.' They all need to know that you are here for them and here to help them. It's helping the kids to have that confidence in themselves, and then seeing what they are able to achieve!"
Jana loves spending time with her family, including 5 yr-old Abigail, who is in Kindergarten at McPolin, and 2 ½ yr-old Emma, who is in the District Childcare. They love to hike, ski, ride bikes, run and read!
Teacher Spotlight - Debra Barfield Corrigan
"I really fell into teaching," says Debra Corrigan. "I was the Grant Chair for the PC Arts Council in the late 90's, and went to Ecker to find volunteers to paint the Poison Creek Tunnel. They needed a sub for the art teacher, and asked me to do it! Later, they needed to fill the position, and they asked me again. I thought to myself, well, I'm an artist, not a teacher, but I'll do it until they find a replacement. Sixteen years later I'm still here and I still love it. I went back to get my Master's in Education - when I had 3 young children! Together with my art degree and art experience, it's been really wonderful."
Debra brought art to the schools even before she started teaching. "When my son was in 1st grade at Jeremy Ranch, I helped Barb Jerome with the Masterpieces program there. She started it the year before. That was in 1996, and we had a budget of $25.00 total. For the whole student body for the entire year!"
Last year, Debra started teaching the Digital Design and Marketing Program at PCCAPS (Park City Center for Advance Professional Studies.) "Michele Dieterich from Treasure suggested it to me. I thought, no I'm too old to do this. But I'm really happy I did it. You need to take chances and keep growing. And, some of the students I had in 7th grade are now Juniors and Seniors and taking this class, which is neat. It fits in perfectly with my background in the commercial art world. I was a freelance commercial artist and Art Director before I started teaching."
"The best part about teaching is I learn every day! I like that you can make a permanent difference in teaching. What I like about PCCAPS is that it's project-based learning. This is how kids want to learn and the thing the kids like most about it is they are problem solving. It's the things they discover, that they remember."
When asked about the difference PCEF makes, Debra pauses a minute. "The Ed Foundation is not just wonderful for the kids, but for the community. It brings our community together, and gives them a voice. PCEF brings together entities with a vested interest in our kids, like Deer Valley Resort. PCEF gives our community a way to be involved with our kids education."
Debra received her Bachelor in Arts from the California College of the Arts. She has Technology, Multi Media and Web Development Endorsements. She has received numerous Addy and Press club Awards for her work in commercial art. She and her husband own Oh Shucks, Ahh Sushi and the Pinebrook Grill.
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Park City Education Foundation | 435-615-0235 | www.pcef4kids.org
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