21st Century Skills For Students

CARMEN Commercial Real Estate Services & Duke Realty combined forces, donating time and space at Park 100 to IndianaFIRST.  The practice space provided for dozens of FIRST Robotics Competition Teams in Indiana to perfect their design and prepare for the 2012 FRC game, Rebound Rumble, in preparation for last weekends World Competition in St. Louis.

“The practice field was invaluable to our team this year.  It allowed us to work out the bugs of our robot so that we didn't have a single mechanical failure at the Boilermaker Regional,” said Scott Miller, Project Manager, FRC Team 829.  “It also allowed our drivers to have hours of practice driving the robot and it really showed in our performance.  Our team was able to go undefeated in qualification matches and seed first in the tournament. Many thanks from FIRST Team 829.”

FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) challenges teams of young people and their professional mentors to solve a common problem presented in the form of a high-intensity, sport-like game. In just six short weeks, teams of 25-40 students are charged to design (using CAD software), manufacture, and build a human-sized robot capable of competing in the annual game. Teams made up of high school students, teachers, engineers, technologists, and other adult mentors compete with teams from around the world in what is commonly referred to as “The Super Bowl of Smarts”.

Longtime Board member and advocate of TechPoint Foundation for Youth (TPF4Y) programs, Chris Carmen, President of CARMEN Commercial Real Estate Services, worked to secure practice space for TPF4Y’s current philanthropic start-up, IndianaFIRST, who promoted the space to all Indiana FRC teams.

“CARMEN was thrilled that Duke Realty stepped in and generously provided space to these students who represent some of Indiana’s brightest,” said Chris Carmen.  “When you see these kids compete and the real-world learning involved in this program, it’s simply contagious, and we were happy to help secure a space for them to practice and appreciate Duke Realty’s generosity.”

Nine Indiana Teams won the chance to compete at the FIRST Robotics Competition World Championship:

o   Carmel High School, FRC #868-Winner of the Engineering Inspiration Award at Purdue’s Boilermaker Regional.

o   Center Grove High School, FRC #1741-Winner of the Engineering Inspiration Award at Queen City Regional.

o   Huntington County 4-H, FRC #1501-Alliance Winner at the Boilermaker Regional.

o   Perry Meridian High School, FRC #234-Alliance Winner at the Boilermaker Regional.

o   Knightstown HS & New Castle Career Center, FRC #3947-Winner of Rookie All-star Award at the Boilermaker Regional.

o   Kokomo High School, FRC #45 Alliance Winner at the Queen City Regional & Rookie All-star Winner

o   Michigan City & Marguette High School, #3936-Winner of Rookie Allstar Award at the Midwest Regional.

o   West Lafayette Jr/Sr High School, FRC #461, Winner of Chairman’s Award at Washington DC Regional.

Three teams from Stuart, Fla., Mountain Home, Ark., and North Brunswick, N.J. won the final showdown, earning the covetedFIRST Robotics Competition Championship Winning Alliance. Several other U.S. and international FIRST student robotics teams earned honors for design excellence, competitive play, research, business plans, website design, teamwork, and partnerships. (April 28, 2012, www.usfirst.org)

IndianaFIRST's mission is to inspire young people to be leaders in STEM industries by engaging them in exciting mentor-based robotics programs that build hard skills in science, engineering, and technology as well as valuable 21st century skills such as communication and critical-thinking.

TechPoint Foundation for Youth identified IndianaFIRST as one of its “Greenhouse Initiatives” in 2011, and pledged to assist the organization in its aggressive goal to provide access to high school level FRC programs to 50% of Indiana’s student population by 2015. TPF4Y’s support enabled IndianaFIRST to pilot a training and development program for 11 FRC rookie teams in 2011, preparing them for the 2012 competition.

Educator and Technology Education Entrepreneur Todd Whitlock
to Receive TechPoint Foundation for Youth Bridge Builder Award

Whitlock will accept the TechPoint Foundation for Youth Bridge Builder Award at
TechPoint’s Mira Awards Gala presented by BKD CPAs & Advisors at the JW Marriott on May 12th

INDIANAPOLIS (March 22, 2012) — TechPoint Foundation for Youth is pleased to announce that Indiana educator and technology education entrepreneur Todd Whitlock has been selected by the Foundation’s board of directors as the 2012 Bridge Builder Award Recipient.

Whitlock currently serves as the technology, curriculum, and testing coordinator at North Daviess Community School Corporation in Elnora, Ind., in Daviess County. He is also the cofounder of EdTechZone, LLC, a startup company that consults on a broad range of technology education issues, including helping school corporations develop a vision and direction for their technology and curriculum programs. EdTechZone recently made headlines when its mobile device enabled, online teacher evaluation tool – “Standards for Success” – was adopted by the Indiana Association of School Principals.

The TechPoint Foundation for Youth Bridge Builder Award is given annually to an individual, program or organization that has demonstrated, beyond the call of duty, a sustained ability to:

• Provide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) program access to underserved Indiana youth
• Educate underserved Indiana youth with real world STEM applications
• Inspire underserved Indiana youth to engage in their futures and pursue STEM careers
• Engage professionals in volunteerism that supports STEM initiatives serving underserved Indiana Youth

Todd Whitlock was chosen for his significant and lasting contributions in transforming education by providing Indiana students with 21st Century, high-tech classroom and out-of-classroom experiences.

Whitlock led a team that brought the New Tech High Learning Model to North Daviess Community Schools, and began a take-home computer program in his district. In collaboration with a local university, Whitlock spearheaded a program that allows students to graduate with a High School diploma while also receiving a General Studies Associate’s Degree. This year, 29 percent of the 2012 graduating class of North Daviess High School will graduate with a high school diploma and a general studies associate’s degree. This group includes five students who are the first generation in their families to ever receive post-secondary degrees. Fifty-three percent of these students will also utilize their education and 21st century skills from being part of a take home 1:1 program to enter college in a STEM field. The community has less than 10 percent of the adults with a bachelor’s degree and less than 20 percent with an Associate’s degree.

Whitlock has been active at the state-level in working to restructure the textbook adoption rules and worked with Indiana Senator Kenley to restructure the budget bill for equitable textbook reimbursement for every eligible child. Whitlock works to make sure students have the same access to information and opportunities regardless of socio-economic status or geographical location. He works to eliminate barriers that limit opportunities for students.

The Bridge Builder Award given by TechPoint Foundation for Youth is a part of TechPoint’s annual Mira Awards program recognizing excellence and innovation demonstrated by Indiana’s outstanding technology industry performers and contributors, and focuses attention on the broader issue of the important role technology plays in Indiana’s economy. Whitlock will receive the award at TechPoint’s Mira Awards Gala on May 12, at the JW Marriot in Indianapolis.

“The influence Todd Whitlock has had on education reform movements in Indiana has had a lasting and far reaching impact,” said Laura Dodds, executive director of TechPoint Foundation for Youth. “Todd’s passion for preparing both students and school districts to meet the needs of Indiana’s current and future workforce is an inspiration. It is our pleasure and honor to recognize his commitment to technology education.”

Marvin Bailey, campus president at Harrison College NW and chairman of the TechPoint Foundation for Youth board of directors said: “Todd is an education and technology entrepreneur. He’s so passionate about kids and learning and using technology effectively to do so. He’s creative – and he’s always challenging the status-quo with that creativity. His mindset is always about the ‘possible,’ never a thought allowed for why something can’t be done. He’s a champion and this award reflects his vision, his accomplishments and his perseverance in making so many exciting things happen in education.”

Whitlock was named one of the National School Boards Association’s “20 to Watch,” and he received a TechPoint Mira Award in the Education Contribution to Technology K-12 category. He was selected as an International Research Presenter and traveled to Amalfi, Italy, to deliver his paper “1:1 computing and the impact on student learning, teaching, and the community.” Whitlock has been awarded more than $2 million in Competitive Technology Grants since 2000. He served as a board member for the Hoosier Educational Computer Coordinators for 10 years, including serving as president in 2004 and conference chair from 2003-2011. Whitlock is also a Tourette’s Syndrome Association of Indiana fundraiser and educational awareness partner.

Whitlock earned his bachelor’s degree from Ball State University and his master’s degree from Oakland City University. He lives in Cloverdale, Indiana with his wife, Dianna and 3 children. Education is always a topic in the home as Dianna is an administrator at Cloverdale Elementary and their oldest son is graduating from Indiana State University with an education degree. Their youngest son and daughter attend Cloverdale Community schools.

“It is rather humbling to be considered and even much more being named the TechPoint Foundation for Youth Bridge Builder, Whitlock said. “I have been lucky to work in a school and serve on organizations that allow for crazy ideas and that are willing to go against the norm to provide opportunities for children. This may have my name attached to the award but it is actually the school, community, and organizations that are the real winners of this award.”