The ART of Video Funded by the Gates Foundation
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When we started BenchFly five years ago, in 2009, our mission was to make research a better career for current and future generations of scientists. Today we continue to work toward this goal using video as the primary means to educate scientists in companies, in universities and now in high schools! In the fall of 2013, we were incredibly fortunate to have met Kentucky teacher Tricia Shelton (thank you, Twitter!) arguably one of the most energetic, passionate, and dedicated teachers out there. In less than 12 months, our collaboration has resulted in a new video-based curriculum, called The ART of Video™, and a Gates Foundation grant supporting further assessment of the program’s potential in the classroom. Thanks to Tricia, we’re engaging with and developing those future scientists we’ve been thinking about since 2009.
But this is not about the ART of Video (this link will tell you more and show Tricia’s students in action). It’s about the human side–how the boundless energy of collaborators like Tricia and her students can fuel a project long before the funding arrives to support it. It’s about honoring the educators working day in and day out to create environments where future scientists can thrive. It’s about being grateful for organizations like The Gates Foundation who see a spark and are willing to fan the flames to see how brightly it can burn.
And finally, it’s about thanking the students and watching in amazement. At BenchFly, we never cease to be blown away by the quality of videos a high school student can produce with an iPad. Trust us when we say video is here to stay and the future of science looks bright.
As a new school year gets underway, we fire up the ART of Video with a fresh crop of students. Throughout the coming semester and year, we will track the progress of the Shelton class here on our blog and highlight some of the incredible video products they’re creating–so stay tuned.
To show your support for the Shelton Class, follow Tricia on Twitter and tell her thanks!
For more information about The Fund for Transforming Education in Kentucky, visit: https://www.thefundky.org/
