FIRST...

[Wanderer]

Had Dean Kamen give the keynote speech during opening session at AU, and he put in a plug for this program... FIRST— For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (http://www.usfirst.org/index.html)

I was pretty intrigued by this, and in his talk he was saying that the us isn't producing nearly as many engineers, technical people, etc, as other countries. He especially mentioned women and minorities not knowing about the opportunities out there. And, as a woman, of course, I agreed that it is important to encourage everyone. (ladies, of course, I didn't find out till I was almost graduated, but, even the community college I went to offered scholarships for minorities in certain fields, and being a woman in drafting/engineering programs would qualify for them...)

anyone done any volunteer work with them, or care to comment on the competitions they hold or the other programs?

http://www.usfirst.org/index.html

[baechlerj]

I second Melanie's praise for Dean's speech, (sorry I couldn't resist). Seriously, I am also looking for information to apply up here across the boarder. Our high schools & colleges don't take the time or the money to promote technical opportunities as I feel they should.

[CADKitty]

Truthfully, this is the first (*winces* - no pun intended!) I've heard of them. They're definately needed in this country, though...says one of the women in the minority...

Ready for a good one? My high school had a fabulous technology/engineering program when I went there. That's where I got into board drafting, then CAD. Loved it! That program and the teachers in it are what got me into this field. My sister goes there now (no interest in CAD though...oh well...) so we still get the newsletter. Last year, they cut 2/3rds of the tech classes - Tech. drafting II and III are gone, CAD II and III are gone, CAM is completely gone, and Arch. drafting II and III are gone, leaving Tech./Arch. I and CAD I! Made me sick to my stomach....but hey, the school has a new swimming pool! Grrrr....

It's nice to see that there are people out there trying to keep technology alive!

[Wanderer]

Truthfully, this is the first (*winces* - no pun intended!) I've heard of them. They're definately needed in this country, though...says one of the women in the minority...

Ready for a good one? My high school had a fabulous technology/engineering program when I went there. That's where I got into board drafting, then CAD. Loved it! That program and the teachers in it are what got me into this field. My sister goes there now (no interest in CAD though...oh well...) so we still get the newsletter. Last year, they cut 2/3rds of the tech classes - Tech. drafting II and III are gone, CAD II and III are gone, CAM is completely gone, and Arch. drafting II and III are gone, leaving Tech./Arch. I and CAD I! Made me sick to my stomach....but hey, the school has a new swimming pool! Grrrr....

It's nice to see that there are people out there trying to keep technology alive!
our high school program was so so, more dealing with the facilities than the curriculum.

But, when I was graduating, they were building a new high school and their tech labs are great. The teacher who came in my 2nd year in drafting started up stuff like vica (vocational industrial clubs of america) and took some of us to some drafting competitions (i got 4th in one, and 1st in another, I rock.)

[Glenn Pope]

our high school program was so so, more dealing with the facilities than the curriculum.

But, when I was graduating, they were building a new high school and their tech labs are great. The teacher who came in my 2nd year in drafting started up stuff like vica (vocational industrial clubs of america) and took some of us to some drafting competitions (i got 4th in one, and 1st in another, I rock.)
My high school has a less then so so tech program. Luckily they teamed up with the local vocational school. They allowed students to take classes at the vocational school instead of at the high school. In the morning I had regular high school classes, and in the afternoon I had drafting.

I was also a member of vica. Never was able to go to the drafting competitions :( I was always the alternate if someone couldn't make it.

[Globey]

I took Industrial Arts back in high school as well, focusing on Technical/Architectural drafting. These programs that they have on the Discovery channel now; Such as Monster Garage, and American Chopper, I wish they had on when I was going into High School, it certainly makes you appreciate metal shop even more..

[CADKitty]

These programs that they have on the Discovery channel now; Such as Monster Garage, and American Chopper, I wish they had on when I was going into High School, it certainly makes you appreciate metal shop even more..
All I ever made in metal shop was a paperweight....a very nice, grooved, lathed to perfection, textured paperweight, but a paperweight nonetheless....:(

[Globey]

All I ever made in metal shop was a paperweight....a very nice, grooved, lathed to perfection, textured paperweight, but a paperweight nonetheless....:(
Sounds like you missed your calling!!;)

[Wanderer]

I took Industrial Arts back in high school as well, focusing on Technical/Architectural drafting. These programs that they have on the Discovery channel now; Such as Monster Garage, and American Chopper, I wish they had on when I was going into High School, it certainly makes you appreciate metal shop even more..
that makes me sad. I took drafting because there were no class fees (there were in home ec, believe it or not). I wanted to take one of the shop classes but, they all had fees to cover the materials, etc.

~sniff~ I still don't know how to properly utilize a miter saw ~sobbing in hands~ what must you think of me!?!?!

[Globey]

Class fees? for shop classes? never heard of it.....for drafting obviously we didnt need it, all that was required was to buy some simple drafting tools at the local store....Tools were already provided for Power Mechanics/Automechanics...and im not sure what the deal was for Metal shop, but im sure they had there own there as well....same thing with Graphic arts class....

[jhohman]

Ironically, when I was in high school, 1994 grad, we had a couple of computers and a pen plotter set up in the corner but that was all they did, sit there. I was able to convince the drafting teacher to let me play around on the software (my first time dealing with CAD!) which was Data CAD 7 at that time, after a couple of weeks, I was able to get around in the software pretty well, although the teacher would not let me do any drawings on the computer, manual drafting only. I thought it was pretty funny that the school had the technology, but since nobody knew how to use it, nobody used it. After a couple months the teacher allowed me to show and teach some of the aspects of CAD to other students. I think schools should offer manual drafting and CAD a well, but they should make sure that the draftsman know manual drafting before touching a computer at all. I'm interested to know what they do in my old drafting class nowadays. I think the industry could definitely benefit from programs like the one listed in the first post, unfortunately I also think most money for "education" ends up only providing new shiny uniforms for the football team and etc.

[Globey]

I graduated HS in 1989, and our football team was State Champs in 1988. All the different teams had nice uniforms and were well taken care of, and our Industrial arts just had a new building put in knocking down the old one. For Technical Drafting, Mechanical, and Architectural, we had about 10 stations using Autocad Rel 11 at the time. So I think its more a matter of how much your state decides to spend on education, and what that school does with the money. In my town, my High School was considered the less appealing of the two HS's in town ( I went to Stratford HS the other HS was Bunnell) due to the curriculum in place, violence in the HS..etc....but compared to what you mentioned, I guess we had it pretty lucky!

[sid.fontenot550]

I took my first and only semester of drafting my jr year of high school. Board drafting only. There were no computers in the industrial arts lab in 1982. I passed the class with a "D" because I really did not enjoy it. Glad to know things have changed:-)

[mom of 3]

I'm with Bill..........to a point. I also graduated '89, but we didn't have CAD yet. some of the schools in Omaha had it (less than 5, if I recall) & I think 1 Lincoln school had it. I took board drafting classes my jr & sr years, because I already knew what I wanted to do & I'm really not a "girlie-girl". yes, I did design my dream home my senior year for my final project & I still plan on building it........with some minor changes here & there. anyway, at that time, CAD wasn't even a thought, BUT.........I went back to visit a teacher the following year & WALA! they had completely redone the drafting/mechanical area to teach it in CAD!!!!!!!!!! ooooooooo, I was hot! :evil: nice of them to find the funds for it AFTER I'd graduated!!!!!!!!
when I went back to college for the 2nd time, I had to learn CAD..............oooooooo, I struggled with it & I'll be the 1st to admit it! in a way, I'm now glad I know both ways of using it, but yes, I think I would understand it a lot more had I had the opportunity to learn it in HS..........
as for females in there..........between both years I took it in HS, there were 3 of us. when I went back to college, I was the only 1 in the class for quite a few of them........it was ok, though. I really would have liked to know about minority & technical scholarships, it does need to be more well knows........maybe if I knew at that point about those opportunities, I'd be done with my degree by now!
:banghead:
ok, back at this mess for me...........

[CADKitty]

as for females in there..........between both years I took it in HS, there were 3 of us. when I went back to college, I was the only 1 in the class for quite a few of them........
Whoa, that many?? :shock:

I was alone my freshman through junior years in h.s., and senior year there were - brace yourselves - TWO of us in one of my classes, but I was still by myself in the rest! College, there were two of us who, naturally, became fast friends...birds of a feather and all that...

The way my h.s. used to have it set up (yes, I am still, and forever will be, bitter that they got rid of the majority of the program) you took half a year of Tech. I (board drafting) with half a year Arch. I (board again). From there you could get into Tech. II and III and Arch. II and III if you wished, CAD I, II, and III, and CAM. Tech. II and III is where the stuff we designed we actually went and made afterwards in the metal shop next door (never any fees, though) with the lathe, band saw, etc. Wound up with my famous paperweight, a porch light fixture, a smaller paperweight that I turned into a keychain, and, erm, something I can't remember....

Melanie, c'mon up and show me self-defense, and I'll teach you how to use a miter saw and a band saw! ;)

[Wanderer]

Whoa, that many?? :shock:

I was alone my freshman through junior years in h.s., and senior year there were - brace yourselves - TWO of us in one of my classes, but I was still by myself in the rest! College, there were two of us who, naturally, became fast friends...birds of a feather and all that...

The way my h.s. used to have it set up (yes, I am still, and forever will be, bitter that they got rid of the majority of the program) you took half a year of Tech. I (board drafting) with half a year Arch. I (board again). From there you could get into Tech. II and III and Arch. II and III if you wished, CAD I, II, and III, and CAM. Tech. II and III is where the stuff we designed we actually went and made afterwards in the metal shop next door (never any fees, though) with the lathe, band saw, etc. Wound up with my famous paperweight, a porch light fixture, a smaller paperweight that I turned into a keychain, and, erm, something I can't remember....

Melanie, c'mon up and show me self-defense, and I'll teach you how to use a miter saw and a band saw! ;)
lol! Here I come, and tell the men to stay out of our ways afterwards, we'll be unstoppable!!!

[CADKitty]

lol! Here I come, and tell the men to stay out of our ways afterwards, we'll be unstoppable!!!
Of course we're the fairer sex.....we're just harmless little females....armed with karate chops and miter saws! Bwahahahahaha!! :veryevil:

[Wanderer]

Whoa, that many?? :shock:

I was alone my freshman through junior years in h.s., and senior year there were - brace yourselves - TWO of us in one of my classes, but I was still by myself in the rest! College, there were two of us who, naturally, became fast friends...birds of a feather and all that...

The way my h.s. used to have it set up (yes, I am still, and forever will be, bitter that they got rid of the majority of the program) you took half a year of Tech. I (board drafting) with half a year Arch. I (board again). From there you could get into Tech. II and III and Arch. II and III if you wished, CAD I, II, and III, and CAM. Tech. II and III is where the stuff we designed we actually went and made afterwards in
oh yeah, curriculum... we had 1/2 year basic drafting (mostly hand), then drafting 1 and drafting 2. We also had 'design technology' or something. I don't remember much about that class, making posters, doing webpages... I mostly played with 3ds max, we only had it on one pc, and since I was the class pest (I can't use the drafting machines! They're made for right-handed people!!!), myself and another girl used it most of the class. I think we also made hot air balloons from tissue paper, it was cool...

shoot, you used to have a better drafting program than the college I went to..

[CADKitty]

shoot, you used to have a better drafting program than the college I went to..
That's just the problem, it USED to be that good! Now it's, well, pretty bleepy. All that's left is Tech. I, Arch. I, and CAD I. That's it. No CAM, no possibility of continuing the program, nothing! It just angers me so much when I think of all of the benefits that I got from that curriculum, and they simply did away with it...bleep!

[mom of 3]

Whoa, that many?? :shock:


remember that I'm a little older than you are & you have to include me in that 3...........I think Freak has a few more females going to school with her now (she graduates with her master's in May) though............

[mom of 3]

That's just the problem, it USED to be that good! Now it's, well, pretty bleepy. All that's left is Tech. I, Arch. I, and CAD I. That's it. No CAM, no possibility of continuing the program, nothing! It just angers me so much when I think of all of the benefits that I got from that curriculum, and they simply did away with it...bleep!
that's ALL that's left?????????? holy buckets!!!!!!!!!! my son's scout den used to meet at the high school (until this year) & I could tell that the drafting/mechanical stuff is still as involved as it was AFTER I graduated! there were a few times we had to meet in the labs due to other stuff going on, but some of the projects that were in there..........I know that I'd never be able to do that! I had never had that kind or thorough instruction! as they progress, shouldn't the curriculums grow with the programs????????

[CADKitty]

as they progress, shouldn't the curriculums grow with the programs????????
I'm sorry, you're using common sense. When dealing with my high school, never, ever use common sense...everything is more understandable when you don't....:screwy:

I think one of the main things that happened is the head of the department (there were only three teachers!) left for a different school district, so they took that opportunity to destroy the program he had worked so hard on...still makes me queasy....who do those bleepin administrators think they are, anyway, deciding what the kids should and shouldn't be allowed to learn! This stuff is important, and isn't going anywhere but up...but nooooo, they wanted a pool!!! Bleep bleep bleepity bleep bleepers!

[sid.fontenot550]

Bleep bleep bleepity bleep bleepers!


Jen, why don't you let it out and tell us how you really feel.............

[CADKitty]

Jen, why don't you let it out and tell us how you really feel.............
What, you mean you don't speak bleep-language? I'll send you an English/bleep dictionnary for Christmas!

[Mamma Jamma]

Alright, back in the dark ages when I was in H.S., girls were not ALLOWED to take drafting - or auto shop, print shop (the old fashioned kind with presses), welding/metal, woodworking, etc.
And the guys in voc (like my hubby who was in the drafting curriculum) were not allowed to take typing or any other "girly" subjects. I was college prep and they FORCED me to take typing - for "something to fall back on". Fast forward a few years, and hubby was working on CAD and could have used those typing skills he wasn't allowed to acquire.
Oh, and even though it was a public H.S., we weren't allowed to wear pants either, at least not until about my junior year. Though we could wear mini-skirts "up to there"! Go figure!

[CADKitty]

Alright, back in the dark ages when I was in H.S., girls were not ALLOWED to take drafting - or auto shop, print shop (the old fashioned kind with presses), welding/metal, woodworking, etc.
And the guys in voc (like my hubby who was in the drafting curriculum) were not allowed to take typing or any other "girly" subjects. I was college prep and they FORCED me to take typing - for "something to fall back on". Fast forward a few years, and hubby was working on CAD and could have used those typing skills he wasn't allowed to acquire.
Oh, and even though it was a public H.S., we weren't allowed to wear pants either, at least not until about my junior year. Though we could wear mini-skirts "up to there"! Go figure!
.......................................................*stunned silence*.........................................................

Please tell me you've since gotten your revenge on all of the bleepin bleeps that made those asinine rules!

[Mamma Jamma]

Nah! Most of 'em are dead anyway! We're talking waaaayyyy back, here. We were only starting to know better. Actually, one girl begged her way into drafting my senior year (not me, btw). She was then accepted into Pratt for architecture. However, after a year, she became a flight attendant instead of an architect. She married one of her wealthy passengers. Don't know what she's doing now...but the Jag she drove to a class reunion was pretty sweet!
And dear hubby was one of the first male library aides (to be near girls and out of class - no dummy). Changes came, but slowly. My younger brother took a class just for boys called "Bachelor Living" aka Home Ec,

[Wanderer]

Had Dean Kamen give the keynote speech during opening session at AU, and he put in a plug for this program... FIRST— For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (http://www.usfirst.org/index.html)

http://www.usfirst.org/index.html
I was channel-surfing last night and tuned into pbs, and saw dean kamen. It was the tailend of a story on a regional FIRST competition... and there was a team from the high school I went to.

How cool is that? I wish I'd have been able to build a robot!!! ~pout~