IT Academy Updates @itacademy-blog - Tumblr Blog

Field Report 5-Rosee, Maichi, & Taryn

Living downtown of SanFrancisco lives a company called Zendesk. This company provides customer service for people who needs service and help. The employees have multiple teams for specific projects and partake in many group and individual activities to satisfy their customers. In Pier 39 there are musicians who play on the streets, there are plenty restaurants, shops, an aquarium, boat rides and the biggest occasion, the Sea Lions. There are many different people speaking in many different languages that came from many different countries. In SanFrancisco lies Chinatown where we ate food and went shopping. This area has a ton of charms for goodness, good luck, good health and fortune.

Field Report 4- Brandon & Devin

Even though it was a last second decision for choice, I was interested in what would happen at NASA. when we first got there it was really cool to see of the models and all of the actual things that were used during space missions. It was also really cool to learn about the Kepler missions because to think about planets with life just like ours is really cool. One of my favorite things to see was the solar system simulator. It was very cool to put planets together and see what type of combinations would and would not work for a balanced solar system. Even thought it was last second it was really cool to visit a small price of NASA.

The original destination, Stanford University, was a very exciting place when we arrived. Just hours earlier Hillary Clinton had arrived which caused us to push our schedule back. When we did arrive I finally got a n idea of just how huge out was. It took us about 20 minutes to get to the bookstore from where we parked. The best part however, was our chance to experience new technology, but to be safe I won't explain what. Both destinations were great learning experiences in topics that we don't cover that much in ITA.

Field Report 3- Mya & Liliana

Today we went to Cisco and met a worker their names Nancy. We began our mini tour by having a video call with her daughter Sarah who also works at Cisco. It was super inspiring to see how hard Sarah kept pushing to get the job she wanted. Even though she didn't make the program that she had in mind, she was still able to join Ciscos work force by being diligent. The video call that was Ciscos equipment was also cool to see because the camera followed you around if you moved and turned to you if you began to speak. After talking with Nancy's daughter we went to a presentation where we were taught how Cisco is prominent in helping with retail. We were shown how using a mobile device aids companies in how to make their store better and what to improve on. Following that presentation we talked to another worker Roy where we learned how he contributed to Cisco and then we talked about what we do as an ITA/TTI group. After Cisco we stopped by Intel and we were given an amazing presentation on the history of Intel while going around their mini museum. We were able to see how Intel started and how far it's gotten today. It was amazing to see things we use everyday in a more technical way!

Field Report 2- Paige & Jenna

Adobe- After Google, we headed to an Adobe tour. We started off with the sandwich cafe place and got some drinks. Then began the tour.Started out with some facts about the building and how 70% of the building wa recycled. The tour guide showed us all sorts of rooms and office areas. he showed us conference rooms, office spaces/rooms, mediation, massage, etc. We were shown the wellness center, basketball court, and cafe. The building had so many different eye opening colors which really caught everyone's attention. We ended off with the Adobe store. Almost everyone got something. this tour was more about the building work space. Google- Today, we started off by going to Google. Met our tour guide, Mike, and headed off onto a mini tour before our presentations. We went to one very unique room that had a variety of things, such as a ball pit, google earth 3D map, massage chairs, mini golf, art, etc. After, we headed to snack bar for a quick snack before our big event. We gave our speeches and then they gave theirs. We had a Q&A session for about an hour. since we took so long we had little amount to eat. Food was diverse with Indian and American food with some others. Before we left, Mike gave us Google sunglasses as a souvenir. This was more of an informational experience than a tour.

Field Report 1-Ricardo & Rogelio

Today we woke up and ate breakfast at the hotel we were staying at in San Francisco. The breakfast was nice and it was a good start of the day. Once we finished with breakfast we checked out of the hotel and headed to our next destination, downtown San Francisco. Upon arriving downtown we drove around and experienced some steep roads. This was funny to me because Excell was afraid of heights and did not want to go up the steep roads. However we managed to get to the parking ramp where we walked a small distance to our Segway tour. To begin the segway tour, we watched a short 8 minute video on the do’s and dont’s for riding a segway. After the video, we were put into a room where a very kind instructor demonstrated to us how to ride a segway. We were then put into two groups and then cruised through downtown San Francisco and making our way to the pier. After 3 hours of standing on a segway, we walked to In and Out burger where we could experience and taste how a burger from there really is. It was my first time eating there and the food there was great. Once we were all done, we made our way to the hotel but we first made a few stops along the way. We visited the Facebook HQ and took a picture of the big thumbs up. We then visited EA Sports and took a group picture in front of the sign. After that, we stopped by the house where The Social Network was made and stopped by the HP Garage. Over 2 hours of driving, we finally made it to the hotel and later went to go out to eat at La Paloma. I got Pozole Rojo and it was really delicious. It reminded me as if I were back home. We ended off the night with a group meeting and finished our homework. The day has been filled with many exhilarating moments.

2015 ITA Video Camp Highlights (Class of 2018)

Jonah’s Where I'm From Video

Computer Support Email

Hello ITA Students,

During the summer we want to provide you an extra avenue of support when it comes to your computers. We have set up an ITA email list that you can use if you need any help with the computers you have at home.

You can email [email protected].

You can send us an email with the problem you are having and when you can bring your computer, so that we can fix it, or you can get a replacement. On an unrelated note, always back up your files in case you get a replacement. Oh, that email is also fair game for any computer or software question you may have.

~Juan ☼

2015 Student of the Year

Congratulations to our 2015 Student of the Year, Ninoska of the Class of 2015. Ninoska received an iPad mini on May 9th for her outstanding work during the 2014-15 school year as a role model and dedicated ITA scholar. Always participating with a smile and unwavering positivity, and going above and beyond what is expected, Ninoska exemplifies what we expect of our ITA scholars. We are proud of you, Ninoska! Good luck next year as you head to college! ☼

Study Skills with Jenay

How to stay on your teacher’s happy side:

Turn in your assignments on time.

If you can’t turn in your assignment on time, offer a solution to the problem.

Don’t text during class, or really anytime another person is speaking with you.

Show up on time for class.

If you missed a class, approach the teacher either before or after school to politely ask about the work you missed.

Offer to distribute worksheets every once in a while.

Don’t ask your teacher the day after you’ve taken the test if he/she has graded them. The answer is almost always, “No, not yet.” And that’s really okay.

If you’re feeling unusually tired, talk to your teacher about it before class. If you don’t and then fall asleep in class, the teacher will probably act out of frustration instead of empathy.

~Jenay ☼

Leadership Corner

I love this quote by Thomas Edison and I think it rings pretty true. Take ITA, for example. Getting into ITA is a huge honor but, in order to succeed in the program, you have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and do some work, lots of it, in fact.

The leaders I respect the most are the ones who have a strong work ethic. They aren’t complacent; they push themselves to learn new things; they set and achieve specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART) goals; they are willing to do grunt work, not just work they prefer to do.

If you are someone who struggles with your work ethic, one of the things you can do is notice how self-discipline versus laziness feels to you. As blogger and author Steve Pavlina says, “Inaction can be unforgiving. It kills your results. It drains your energy. It drains you of hope. Self-discipline pays you back with all of these results and more, including significantly greater happiness, fulfillment, and self-esteem.”

Quote retrieved from: http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2014/02/how-to-build-a-strong-work-ethic/

~ Sarah ☼

Jenay’s Study Skills

Test-taking tips:

1. Make sure you listen to all of the instructions and read all of the directions before taking any test. Some tricky teachers will purposefully include vital information in these sections and only students who paid attention will be aware.

2. Plan to spend more time on large test sections, like the essay portion.

3. Do the easier questions first (or the ones of which you’re most certain), then go back in and work on the more difficult ones.

4. Write neatly! If your teacher can’t read your writing, many of your points might be accidentally overlooked due to illegibility.

5. Guesstimate how much time you’ll realistically need to complete each test section and pace yourself accordingly.

6. Proofread your answers before you turn them in. If you have the time, always double-check to make sure you didn’t make any easily avoidable errors. ☼

Leadership Corner

This week marked the 45th anniversary of Earth Day. Whether you took time to acknowledge this day or not, we as humans are intimately connected to our planet, for better or for worse. According to Black liberation theologist James Cone, “The logic that led to slavery and segregation in the Americas, colonization and Apartheid in Africa, and the rule of white supremacy through the world is the same one that leads to the exploitation of animals and the ravaging of nature…The fight for justice cannot be segregated but must be integrated with the fight for life in all its forms.”

In a Washington Post blog titled Pollution is segregated, too, Emily Badger wrote, “Studies dating back to the 1970s have pointed to a consistent pattern in who lives near the kinds of hazards -- toxic waste sites, landfills, congested highways -- that few of us would willingly choose as neighbors. The invariable answer: poor people and communities of color.” This pattern is known as environmental injustice and it is something we should all be concerned about. For example, did you know that people of color face nearly 40% more exposure to deadly air pollutants than whites?

The statistics related to environmental injustice are overwhelming and can leave us feeling paralyzed, but there are actions we can take to make a difference. These include:

* Eat Less Meat- The meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Help make a difference by limiting your meat consumption.

* Reduce Energy Consumption- Almost half of the greenhouse gas emissions in the US come from the energy we use to power our homes and our cars.

* Stop Using Disposable Plastic- Help end our obsession with plastic and protect the environment.

* Slay Vampire Energy- Every year billions of kilowatt hours of electricity in homes are wasted by appliances that aren't on but are still consuming energy.

Information and quotes retrieved from: http://sojo.net/magazine/2007/07/whose-earth-it-anyway http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/04/15/pollution-is-substantially-worse-in-minority-neighborhoods-across-the-u-s/ http://www.earthday.org/takeaction/campaigns.html

Sarah ☼

Chris’ Culture Corner

Greetings Everyone!

I wanted to make sure to give a HUGE shout out to the students and staff who made the 1st Annual TTI Spring Conference such a huge success.

It was an absolute honor to spend time with everyone who participated throughout the four days that our TTI students were here and it was AMAZING to have the ITA Madison and TTI students from Oneida and Lac du Flambeau be able to spend time together and begin to create those bonds that we all know are so important.

I am humbled to call you all colleagues, friends, and yes, family. Thank you all for everything you continue to do and be. This never ceases to be an amazing place to work and grow! ☼

Leadership Corner

As I write this column, I’m watching the NCAAmen’s basketball championship game. I don’t follow basketball much but after last year’s upsetting loss to the University of Kentucky, I decided to catch part of the final four game on Saturday night. It was unbelievable!

I’ve always been a little uncomfortable with the way in which Division I and professional athletes are worshipped. They are, after all, as human as the rest of us, and are more than the sports they play. This is why I was heartened to read a couple stories recently about Bronson Koenig embracing being a role model for American Indians.

Last March, a couple hours before Wisconsin’s regular-season finale against Nebraska, Bronson met with members of the high school Winnebago boys basketball team, who made a two hour trek to meet him. The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska is related to the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and, as it turns out, several of the boys on the team were distant relatives of Bronson.

Bronson chose to speak with these young men because “he'd begun to recognize the symbolism of his accomplishments, that he was now tangible proof of what was possible for his people” and “believed he owed it to himself to give back to those who had supported him for so long.” As he told one reporter, “I hope I am an inspiration for them to do well in school and get off that reservation and go make a life for themselves.” Bronson’s outstanding work ethic and commitment to giving back are admirable, an example of leadership in action.

Information and quotes retrieved from: http://www.foxsports.com/wisconsin/story/wisconsin-badgers-bronson-koenig-embraces-being-role-model-for-native-american-community-012715

Sarah ☼

Jenay’s Study Skills

If you’d like an efficient way to check over your paper for errors, try proofreading by reading your paper aloud. When we check over a paper we’ve written, we might mentally fill in gaps within the writing that aren’t there. That’s because we knew what we intended to write, so we glance over it assuming that what we were thinking is what we actually wrote. By saying it out loud, you are able to hear what is truly on the paper and catch more mistakes.

If you’re really ambitious, try reading it out loud to another person. That way, you have two sets of ears for noticing any weaknesses or strengths in your paper.

Silicon Valley Reflection

I took away from the Silicon Valley trip a greater appreciation for technology as well as traveling. My favorite parts of the trip included the Google and Intel visits, the Computer History Museum, the Segway tour, and the Stanford visit. From my experiences at these places, I learned about how technology has grown and shaped the world around us, and continues to do so. I also learned that, more often than not, a lot of the technology we have today is achieving things that were once thought impossible, which is what drives most of the companies located in the Silicon Valley.

People in the Silicon Valley are diligently trying to change the world through innovation, and that was incredible to see in person. Furthermore, I learned that there's a lot to see out there. Stanford was the most beautiful campus I have ever visited, and the area in San Francisco was full of great sights, sounds, and cultures. It was easy to forget the journey of leaving home and having to go from airport to airport, because the destination was an incredible place.

Alonso, Class of 2016 ☼

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

IT Academy Updates