SMASHCast

Chrome Experiment Workshop

info@smashcast.org — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 00:23:45 +0000

Have you ever wondered how 3-D icons in video games or on your computer screen moved? Well, they’re actually called GUI ( Graphical User Interface) Models that intelligently programmers made. Today we were exposed to the Chrome Experiment Workshop website. It is an Amazing website that showcases Wonderful and Beautiful GUI models; such as the world, the stars, or even animated words. This website also gives you a tutorial that gives you an overview on what and why each function of the model does.

This link is to a Chrome Experiment on the galaxy, 100,000 Stars. Explore to your heart’s content!

Other Chrome Experiments: Space Race

Arms Deal Globally

Global Searching

VR: The Hairy Ball Theorem

info@smashcast.org — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 23:28:08 +0000

Minute Physics provides an energetic and entertaining view of old and new problems in physics — all in a minute!

This video presents a mathematical proof in a funny and interesting way. This proof is from a mathematic field of study, under the name algebraic topology. Basically this video talks about how, the Hairy Ball Theorem, proves you can’t brush a hairy ball without at some point the hair sticking up. The video is really informative and talks about how velocity, vectors and vector fields all play a roll and ultimately prove the theorem to be true. At first the video is a bit overwhelming in the concepts it presents, but you’ll soon realize its good exposure to science complex topics, broadening your knoweledge and sharpening your mind.

Here’s the link to watch it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4UGZEjG02s

Smashcast / OSMO: Collaboration – Questions

info@smashcast.org — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 22:29:48 +0000

This month, Smash Scholars reached out to another Oakland-based community organization–Oakland Science & Math Outreach (OSMO). Inspired by the QuestionBridge project, students recorded themselves asking questions about Education, Science, Academic Ambitions, Community, Social Pressures, and more. OSMO students are encouraged to respond to each question and to create question videos of their own, creating an open dialogue between two groups of students. Click to watch the first batch of questions!

Keyoni

Keyoni’s Questions:
1) Do you think science is important?
2) Could you imagine yourself having a career in science? If so, what field and how?
3) Do you think humans can time travel one day? Why?
4) How do you think the human mind works?

Jacob

Jacob’s Questions:
1) How do you think society perceives youth in general?
2) How do you perceive youth in society?
3) Do you want to change how society perceives youth if so what would you want changed?

Wanya

Wanya’s Questions:
1) How do you feel about your classes?
2) Does your school supply you with enough resources to succeed? Explain?
3) What obstacles have you faced academically and in your community?
4) How has OSMO effected your life?

Haile

Haile’s Questions:
1)How does being a person of color affect your dreams in the STEM (Science , Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) field?
2)If and when you go into a STEM career, do you think you’ll have to work harder to fit in? Why or Why not?
3)How do you think being in OSMO will affect the people in your community?

Leng, Yohana, and Kevin

Leng, Yohana, and Kevin’s Questions:
1) Why do you come to school?
2) How do you feel at school?
3) What would you change about school?

Kadeem

Questions:
1) How do you think society perceives you?
2) Do you think that it’s society or media that makes you act the way you do?

Isis

Isis’ Questions:
1) How does the environment created by your peers affect your own education?
2) How do you change a bad learning environment into a positive situation?
3) What is a bad student?

I’ll BUMP the records As you call “CheckMate”

info@smashcast.org — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 05:56:11 +0000

Last weekend SMASHCasters were invited to attend the Bay Area Youth Media Network Rise to the Occasion Youth Media Festival. This youth film festival was eye opening to I think not only me but everyone who attended. This festival was held at the Kaiser Center in joint with the Bay Area Video Coalition, Media Enterprise Alliance, and other organizations connected with youth in the media. To have been there in the same room with some of the filmmakers was exhilarating to witness the issues they wanted to express through video.

One film that caught my attention the most was named “Checkmate”. Checkmate attracted most of attention because it had sort of a spoken word asspect to it. The way the actor spoke about hows school is 12-Step brainwashing program made me think about how some of those accusations were true for me. I too feel like teachers are there for just a paycheck and nothing more.Just there to dump information onto our fresh minds and expect great results. Not everyone is a great teacher and not everyone is a great learner. But as a nation we must find the median where we can teach,learn, and interact with each other in a positive way. In all I truly enjoyed watching the film because it was insightful yet knowledgeable about how our school system works today.

During the intermission a group from BUMP Records graced the stage to perform two of their snazzy new tracks from their album titled “An American GRADUATE”. Bump Records is a program that gives young artists the opportunity to develop real-world skills at a youth run record label and recording studio.

Their performance talked about how teachers perceive. the students and vice versa. They did a bit of rap and classic singing. The album “An American GRADUATE” focuses on the rising high school dropout rates in Oakland,CA. The beats they rapped over were very soothing to my ears being a listener to old-school rap. All in all the film festival was a success and the filmmakers opened the eyes of their audience.

Life Through the Lens of Youth

info@smashcast.org — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 19:19:56 +0000

Last week we went to the Bay Area Youth Media Network’s Rise to the Occasion Youth Film Festival. This was the first of this film festival and was comprised of 16 different organizations that work with youth in media. Some organizations that were being represented at the festival were TILT (Teaching Intermedia Literacy Tools), BAVC (Bay Area Video Coalition), and KQED. The film festival was being held in the Kaiser Center so there was a theater and space for some organizations to have tables set up with information about them.

Out of all the videos shown one that I liked a lot was Karu 0.1. The video was narrated from the point of view of an outsider, named Karu 0.1, observing Earth. It told of all of the destruction that we are causing or will cause to the planet as though Karu 0.1 was from the future. The video was made by students from TILT. I found the video interesting because there was a theme of both loss and hope with the destruction of civilization while at the same time hope for a new world.

The rest of the festival was pretty cool because there were a lot of young people who were interested in media and getting their voice heard. There was even prizes for some of the filmmakers and a raffle. The best part of the raffle was that one of our SMASHcast members won a prize. The people that we talked to were really nice and the representative for the San Francisco Public Library even gave out free stuff.

Success VS Failure in high school

info@smashcast.org — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 19:12:26 +0000

High school requires a lot of responsibility. Whether you take on responsibly or not is a personal choice. There are two main decision that are widely believed to determine success vs failure in high school. They are the thug life and nerd life.

The obvious and the most popular( at least at my school) is the thug life. Some hobbies and characteristics of students who fall into that category are substance abuse, violence, party addicts (always tryna function) lack of discipline, lack of education, and lack of a healthy lifestyle. A lot of my friends live that lifestyle. Their environment and/or the way they were raised influenced their decision of living the thug life. These students tend to rely on the idea that they will be serious after high school. They believe that high school is all about having fun and maintaining a reputation . Although some of their theories are understandable, they fail to have boundaries. Hence they are susceptible to dropping out of school or being victims to violence.

Nerd life is far from being popular. Members of the nerd life are categorized as losers by the “thug life” members. These students have characteristics and hobbies of the following. They are high achievers and they have been successful in school their whole lives. They are complete opposites of thug life members. This students tend to be intellectual, well mannered, into what is considered geeky hobbies, such as Robot club, coding, reading club. They live their lives knowing that success await them and that all their hard work is going to payoff someday. There for they are the students that finish high school and go to prestigious colleges.

The two categories discussed above are very extreme. I believe that success comes from finding the best of both worlds. Finding balance and knowing boundireis is by far the best method of surviving highschool and not having to make a lot of sacrifices.

The video that inspire this video is below.

B.A.Y.M.N. – My Experience

info@smashcast.org — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 18:58:25 +0000

BAYMN is a very inspirational program that gives youth a voice and to be able to discuss a problem through video/media. Many of their videos were also shown on BAVC, their youtube channel. The festival itself was full of very inspirational youth and adults trying to make a difference in their community. The previewing of the videos was an award ceremony/theater like setting. The festival was held at the Kaiser Center in Oakland where they recognized the videos that made it to the finals and handed away prizes to the youth that participated.

The film i will be examining is called “Choices” which was directed by Takai Ginwright and Marielle Boland. It shows how little choices through the day can make you day a whole lot better. They are preparing for a very important exam and shows the differences between both of the young mens choices. One person does everything correct while the other one is being irresponsible and ends up failing the exam due to poor preparation.

I found the BAYMN a very worthwhile experience and also very inspirational from how all of these young men and women show our countries problem through video. I even struck some luck and won a 50$ itunes card from a raffle which I was very grateful and thankful to receive. From this visit I felt anew perspective on school problems and actually noticing these problems in my school because its a big thing to try and keep one of the largest high schools like James Logan not for them to feel pressured. Yet BAYMN and associating programs are doing a great thing to help youth not just in our country but inspiring youth around the nation.

No related posts.

Smashcast attends the BAYMN’s First Regional Youth Media Festival

info@smashcast.org — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 18:57:48 +0000

This past weekend, we attended the Bay Area Youth Media Network’s First Regional Youth Media Festival. The event showcased films produced by youth that focus on social justice issues including the high school dropout crisis, issues on health, issues on identity, and a few other similar important subjects. It a free event that was located at at the Kaiser Center in Oakland.

After watching a series of films, there was one that particularly caught my eye. It was titled “Checkmate” and it was produced by Tele’jon Quinn. In a nutshell, the video was about the struggle with the school system and overcoming the struggle so that you can change it.

B.A.Y.M.N Festival – Review

info@smashcast.org — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 18:48:28 +0000

B.A.Y.M.N. stands for Bay Area Youth Media Network. It is a nonprofit organization that uses the media to present young men and women’s problems with their school by asking students to make heartfelt videos about “How to be successful”, “To cooperate with the school system”, and “Decisions”. We went to its event, “Rise to the Occasion”, in Oakland on October 13 in the Kaiser Center, we had a lot of fun, we met different organizations that supports B.A.Y.M.N, such as TILT and Claim Your Arts.

One out of the many videos that were shown, there was one that stood out to me. It is about cooperating with the school system in order for you to be able to make a change to your school. The teacher is not the problem because there is no enemy but your own doubt that tells you to give up. “School is like a 12-step brainwash camp” – Wiseman

The B.A.Y.M.N. Rise to the Occasion festival was a creative method that presents students’ problems in schools; what they feel what is needed to be changed and what is needed for the school system, teachers, and students to be able to work together, hand-in-hand rather than just having a “civil war” with each other.
Here’s a link to BAYMN’s Website.
B.A.Y.M.N.
TILT and Claim your Arts links:
TILT <<<< They will be having a YOUTH CONFERENCE, Rallying high school students!!! Come join them!
Claim Your Arts

Stay the Course

info@smashcast.org — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 18:32:58 +0000

Below is a video that I just watch from BAVC ( Bay Area Video Coalition). I just felt this video connect with me the minute the students, from Oakland Unified School District who are recording themselves, talked about their, mostly negative, experience in high school.

Education has alway been important to me and I strongly dislike it when people doesn’t take their education seriously. I understand that nowadays it’s hard to find a good teacher and/or a normal sized classroom but that shouldn’t be a reason for anyone to quit school. I know whats it’s like to have adult-like responsibility on your shoulder while having to deal with a horrible school but there was alway something there to keep me going. My own respond to this kind of situation was ” Fine, I’ll just do the work, get the credit” I say this because I know thats the only thing I need from the school to get to college and as far as learning I just find my own time outside of school and use the internet to learn. There are plenty of free and resourceful sites out there that can help you such as Khan Academy or Coursera. These sites provide full course that covers everything you need to know in a certain subject. People alway complaint about teachers not teaching them anything and I’m ok with that but I’m not ok with them using that as an excuse to fail. I know everyone’s situation is different but they should alway try their hardest but this is just my personal opinion. Feel free to disagree.

Smashcast weighs in on “Waiting for Superman”