Projects
Computers To Community
Project Compaq was renamed Computers to Community in 2003-2004 because of the overwhelming response we got from the project. We have been receiving many more computers and printers and we would like to thank all who have donated. To date we have refurbished 100+ systems and have helped not only individuals & families in the community but the district's elementary schools, Sturbridge Senior Center, and many more...
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Project Compaq, started in 2002-2003 with the refurbishing 30 older DP2000 Compaq personal computers, which were donated by Country Bank of Savings in Ware, Massachusetts. Our tasks included upgrading the CPUs and RAM, loading software, including an operating system, office suite, and shareware onto the machines. We downloaded and burnt legal copies of OpenOffice 6.0, which is almost identical to Microsoft Office, but is freeware. In addition, we will loaded free games. The refurbished PCs are given to the Center of Hope in Southbridge. This organization finds and screens eligible families and then distributes the PCs.
Funding Factory
Funding Factory is a foundation that recycles empty printer cartridges and old cell phones. We have participated in this recycling effort since 2001 and have earned more than 20,000 points. Our recycling efforts help fund the purchasing of industry certification exam vouchers for Computer Technology students.
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After recycling cellphones and empty ink & toner
cartridges we achieved 20,000 points on Funding Factory
and was rewarded with this inspirational poster.
cartridges we achieved 20,000 points on Funding Factory
and was rewarded with this inspirational poster.
Hands on class work
A lot of things go on during class time including web development and repairing and exploring the insides of a PC.
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The Giving Tree
The Annual Festival of Giving Trees, a fundraising event benefiting Silent Spring Institute, Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, and Harrington Memorial Hospital's Education and Research Center, was held during a four day festival, beginning Thursday, December 5 at Notre Dame Church in Southbridge, MA. The Computer Technology Department headed up the assembly of a tree, titled United We Stand. The tree was decorated in a rustic patriotic theme and was adorned with gifts or certificates donated by every department within the Technical Division at Tantasqua.
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YTE Contests
Excerpt from press release: Boston, MA- A team of students from Tantasqua Regional Technical High School received Youth Tech Entrepreneurs (YTE) Venture Project Contest grand prize for their outstanding community service in the Computer Ventures category: a $1,000 college scholarship sponsored by eWEEK. Tantasqua students were honored for their work on Project Compaq, at YTE's second annual Acceleration Awards on Monday, May 12th, 2003 at Boston's Museum of Science. On hand that evening to celebrate these bright, young students were business and community leaders, as well as keynote speaker, Pamela Reeve, CEO of Lightbridge.
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MassCUE
The Computer Tech Class of 2000 and 2001 helped set up a PC and Maclab at the annual MassCUE conference held at the Sturbridge Host Hotel. MassCUE, Inc. is a non-profit, grassroots organization of technology-using-educators representing all classroom teachers and administrators endeavoring to bring technology to the heart of school curriculum where its use reflects a tool to enhance and expand education's task of educating children for their future.
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Y2K
As the year 2000 neared, there was a national panic that many computer systems would crash thereby causing people to lose money, jobs and even sanity. Luckily Tantasqua had a ready and able Computer Technology class willing to go throughout the school to make essential upgrades to ensure that complete computer pandemonium would not take over the school.
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