Congratulations to US students Ryan Cleland, Nick Cook, Evan Firestone & Caitlin Jennings for winning the Video Editing Competition at WHRO/ODU Great Computer Challenge on Sat. March 5, 2011.

Competition was rigorous as VBFS went up against Norfolk Academy, Bishop Sullivan, The Advanced Technical Center, & 6 other high schools.

The 90 second video will be posted soon, so please check back. We want everyone to see it! Thanks to Teacher Barb Podkowka for working with students on this project

The Great Computer Challenge, a joint project of WHRO, Consortium for Interactive Instruction, and Old Dominion University, is a competitive opportunity for students in grades K-12 to demonstrate their skills in various computer applications and computer programming, including Graphic Arts, Desktop Publishing, Music Composition, Desktop Presentations, Web Design, Internet Scavenger Hunt, Integrated Applications, Scientific/Non-Business Programming, Visual Basic, CAD, JAVA, and Video Editing.

Congratulations to Ronnie, awarded 2011 Player of the Year for the Seven Cities Athletic Conference.

Channa with VBFS film instructor, Teacher Jeff

Congratulations to Channa S-B on her winning entry in the Jewish Short Film Contest. Channa graduated last year from The Hebrew Academy of Tidewater and is now a 7th Grader at the Virginia Beach Friends School. Using the category of interfaith opportunities, Channa’s film is titled “I Was Invited to a BOMMIT?!: Explaining Bat Mitzvah To My Friends At A Quaker School”. The movie, which is presented in a news show format, features Channa in three different roles along with some of her classmates and teachers, as well as her parents, her younger brother, Micah, and Rabbi Roz Mandelberg of Ohef Sholom Temple.

The project began as an assignment for an independent study class Channa is taking at the Friends School, continuing her Hebrew language studies.

Kyle P. (2011) has been accepted to Virginia Wesleyan College with a four-year renewable $14,000 scholarship.

Heather G. (2011) has been accepted to George Mason University.

Nathan O. (2012) has been invited to participate in the highly competitive and rigorous Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) Program: Introduction to Aerospace Engineering this semester. VASTS is a one-semester, interactive, NASA exploration-themed online course based on the Texas Aerospace Scholars curriculum developed by NASA Johnson Space Center (http://aerospacescholars.jsc.nasa.gov/HAS/Modules/)

Caitlin J. (2011) and a team of students including Ryan C. (2011), Seth L. (2014), and Sara J. (2011), organized and hosted a fundraising dance to benefit the Stuff My Bag Foundation and the Senior Class. About forty students, friends, and faculty members donated money, winter coats, school supplies, and stuffed animals for the Foundation and then enjoyed a high energy evening of dancing and socializing. Caitlin and her team raised over $150 for the Foundation!

The Tech 101: Web 2.0 Tips, Tricks, and Tools class will field a team of students at The Great Computer Challenge 2011 hosted by WHRO at ODU on Saturday, March 5th. Ryan C., Nick C., and Evan F. will compete in the level 4 Video Editing category. If you are interested in sponsoring the registration for this group, please contact Teacher Barb. Information can be found at their website: http://www.whro.org/cii/documents/gcc/gccreg_2011.doc