The PAST Foundation proudly presents its 2012 Bridge Programs Report.

Students from all

over the United States beneft from these outstanding programs, working on one of many
projects presented over the course of the year. This report details the objectives, outcomes,
and future goals of each program, from inception to completion. Programs include:
SUMMER
Entomology
Entomology
Geology
Cultural Landscapes
Marine Ecology
Forensic Anthropology
YEAR-ROUND
Roller Coaster Design
Spring Fling
GEM Murals
Robot Competition
Innovation Lab
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2012 BRIDGE PROGRAMS
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BRIDGE PROGRAM REPORT
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Summer Bridge Program Overview 4
Entomology 8
Geology 11
Cultural Landscapes 14
Marine Ecology 17
Forensic Anthropology 20
Year-Round STEM Introduction 23
Roller Coaster Design 24
Spring Fling 26
GEM Murals 28
Robot Competition 30
Innovation Lab 32
Contents
On a warm and humid June day in Columbus, Ohio, a sweaty group of students sifted through
fertile topsoil to reveal the gruesome remains of a mock murder victim. They carefully measured
and documented each detail as they excavated the simulated but still unsavory crime scene.
Two hundred miles to the north, another group of high school students boarded a ferry and sailed
acioss Lake Eiie to Kelleys Islanu, a unique place wheie eviuence of significant geological events
transported the students to a time before mammals existed. One thousand miles to the south, a
third group of students plunged into the sapphire blue waters of the Florida Keys to explore an
underwater world teeming with exotic aquatic life.
These experiences are the heartbeat
of the PAST Summer Bridge Programs.
Holistic learning environments envelop
students, providing real-world problems
for them to work on with authentic
partners. This requires energy,
collaboration, and commitment from
the students. In return, it provides
incredibly rewarding experiences.
The PAST Foundation Summer
Bridge Programs vary in intensity
and content depth, depending on the
age and experience of the students.
Level I targets students transitioning
Developed by The PAST Foundation
Todays Transdisciplinary Teaching
4
from traditional learning environments to problem-based environments. Level II is appropriate
for students who excel at applied learning and Level III provides advanced student leadership
opportunities in addition to the applied learning aspects of a program. The Collegiate Level
programs serve motivated adult students with intense, content-rich experiences. These different
levels empower students to take full advantage of PASTs offerings, and do not change the
principles underlying each programs design.
F OUR V I TAL COMPONE NT S
At every level, the PAST Foundation Design Team instills each program with four vital
components: Real Issues, Real Partnerships, a
Transdisciplinary Approach, and Presentations
of Learning. PAST measures its success in its ability
to meet these ideals, and students enthusiastically
recommend PAST programs because of their moving
experiences and lasting memories.
All PAST Bridge Programs begin with a Real Issue that
allows students to engage with and help solve problems
facing todays world. The second essential component
of all PAST Bridge Programs is Real Partnerships.
Students learn from primary resources and work
uiiectly with expeits in that fielu. PAST has spent ovei a
decade forming relationships with experts from all over
the academic map.
Along the same lines, the PAST Design Team ensures
that each of its programs address its Real Issue with
a Transdisciplinary Approach. It is crucial that we
understand the context, as it provides perspective
and encourages essential critical thinking skills. Each
program is presented in the context of its surrounding
area and culture, and it incorporates the humanities,
language arts, math, and design.
The final component of each PAST Biiuge Piogiam is the Presentation of Learning, an
opportunity for each student
to follow scientific piotocol
in detailing his or her own
work at the culmination of a
project. Program directors
provide a rubric and
examples to students, who
then showcase theii finuings
through entertaining and
informative expositions.
These presentations
incoipoiate film, PoweiPoint",
5
poetry, essays, sometimes a bit of role-playing, and they always involve student creativity and
original research.
2 0 1 2 RE V I E W
Twelve years of programs has taught the PAST Foundation Design Team that students excel
academically when challenged outside of the classroom. Immersive personal challenges like
jumping into the ocean, living with strangers in crowded quarters, or investigating simulated
dead bodies encourage intellectual growth. When focusing on both life skills and academic
rigor, program directors
observe an increase in
student engagement in
short time periods, and
the programs of 2012
took full advantage of
this principle.
This year, the PAST
Foundation partnered
with the Kelleys Island
School District, and
offered a new setting for
the Entomology, Geology,
and Cultural Landscape
programs. The students
acclimated themselves to
the slower pace of island
livingobserving and
participating in a world
that was completely new to them. The lack of access to fast food, the site of deer roaming freely,
and vehicles left unlocked was a bit of a culture shock but something they soon came to appreciate.
In addition to the new Kelleys Island programs, two perennial favorites, Forensic Anthroplogy
and Marine Ecosystems, returned for another year. Each program, while unique in its own way,
continued to exemplify the strengths of the PAST Foundation model and was supported by experts
in theii iespective fielus.
The PAST Foundation Bridge Programs of 2012 varied in length, rigor, and approach, but all
provided students with the indispensable experience of personal and academic challenges. By
focusing on the four vital components of Bridge Programs, the PAST Design Team ensured that
each piogiam exemplifieu the best in ieal woilu applications, connecteu stuuents with ieal
paitneis, encompasseu a multituue of uisciplines, anu piepaieu the stuuents to give a final
presentation in learning. The following pages describe PASTs efforts in greater detail. We look
forward to more successful summers in the future.
6
KE L L E YS I S L AND
Kelleys Island sits just off the mainland Ohio coast in Lake Erie. Long recognized as a resort
haven for the Northwest and source of high quality limestone, the island has enjoyed a thriving
community of both summer homes and year-round craftsmen. However, in recent years with
the close of the quarry, the supporting industries on the island have dwindled towards a single
economy: tourism. This shift in economics
has whittled away at the local year-round
population creating a steady decline of the
local school enrollment. Finally, in 2011,
with only five stuuents left in the K-12
system, the Kelleys Island School Board
began exploring alternative ways in which
to utilize the school facilities and teacher
resources. Partnering with Indigo Strategies
and the PAST Foundation, Kelleys Island
residents embarked upon a bold scheme
to use the facilities (and indeed, the whole
island) as a classroom for local students, as
well as students from across Ohio. In June of
2012, three PAST pilot bridge programs
Entomology, Glacial Grooves, and Cultural Landscapestook full advantage of the existing school
infrastructure and island environment to immerse over 50 high school and middle school students
in real world island issues.
Each week, students from established island families and students from Columbus public schools
studied the islands ecology and environment from different lenses, creating baseline data sets for
future study on the island. And each week, the students and project directors treated the residents
to lectures and demonstrations, showcasing new and engaging information about Kelleys Island.
7
8
T HE CONCE PT
The Entomology Bridge Program explored the interdependent nature of humans and the insect
species around them. Through outdoor exploration students used living evidence to map and
uefine the entomological species that inhabit anu sustain the ecosystems of Kelleys Islanu. The
summer STEM Bridge Program participants established a baseline study of the islands ecosystem
thiough compaiative fielu stuuy, hanus-on expeiience, anu inquiiy. In auuition, stuuents utilizeu
technology to understand the local ecosystem. Students completed the week with a public
presentation of learning, guiding visitors through their research with hands-on experiences.
T HE S T UDE NT S
Fourteen students participated in the Entomology Bridge Program. Students attended from
Kelleys Island School, Columbus City Schools, St. Charles Preparatory School, Mapleton High
School, and Lakota East High School.
Directors: Megan Meuti & Nick Teets
Entomology Ph.D. Candidates, The Ohio State University
2012: June 4th June 9th | Level II
Bugging Out In Ohio
krttrvs IstnNb, Cn
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T HE S T ORY
A charter bus rumbled up to the ferry landing in Marblehead, Ohio as the sun rose on what
promised to be a spectacular June day. One by one, a group of bleary-eyed students disembarked
from the bus after their two-hour trip from Columbus, retrieved their belongings from the
underbelly of the bus, and made their way onto the deck of the waiting ferry. Waves of excitement
and uncertainty washed over the students as they settled in for the 30-minute boat ride to
Kelleys Island. As they
approached the islands
shores, a line of golf carts
waited to transport the
students to the Kelleys
Island School, which
served as base camp for
the week and where they
joined the other students
from the island.
The fiist afteinoon
was a crash course in
proper insect collection
techniques. With direction
from Program Directors
Megan Meuti and Nick Teets, the students were soon comfortable setting up and using pan,
pitfall, and black light traps, and learned that if all else failed, they could rely on the old fashioned
butteifly net.
Each moining aftei bieakfast, the stuuents hoppeu into golf caits anu tiavelleu to the fielu
site of the day. Two mornings were spent visiting sites within Kelleys Island State Park. The
othei two uays weie filleu with exploiation of the pieseives owneu by the Clevelanu Nuseum
of Natural History. It didnt take long before the students got into the habit of always scanning
their surroundings,
constantly on the
lookout for anything
that crawled,
wriggled, hopped,
flutteieu, oi flew.
They caught a lot of
insects during these
daily expeditions and
enjoyed comparing
the contents of their
collecting jars on the
ride back to lunch.
Back in the lab,
the afternoons
were replete with
identifying and
classifying the
10
insects and then pinning and preserving
the days collection. The hours spent
leaining the Latin classifications of
origin obviously made an impression
when one night, a girl was heard
screaming from her bunk, get that
Hymenoptera away from me!!
On Thursday afternoon the students
visited a local bee keeper who
introduced them to the world of
beekeeping and honey production. The
bees were on good behavior while the
students were there, mellowed out by the
clear skies and blanket of smoke from
the bee keepers smoker. The students learned a lot about the hierarchy of the hive and how the
different levels of bee society function.
0n Satuiuay, the final moining,
the school opened to the public
and the students presented their
projects based on what they learned
during their time on the island.
Crowd favorites included a termite
experiment, information about the
local insect collection sites, the
how-to instructions on pinning
and preserving, and the opportunity
to view the exotic insect specimens
provided by the OSU Entomology
Department.
T HE PART NE RS
11
T HE CONCE PT
Humans alter their behavior in response to their surrounding environment, and environments
aie alteieu by human behavioi. Kelleys Islanu exemplifies this co-evolutionaiy ielationship,
specifically captuiing in its lanuscape the vagaiies of the last Ice Age thiough glacial scouiing anu
grooves. Human impact on the island simultaneously obscures geologic patterns, exploits geologic
formations, and is subject to the immutable pace of geologic time. Through comparative and
contrasting study of island formations, participants in this summer Bridge Program explored the
relationship between humans, time, and place. The week of rigorous study culminated in a virtual
fielu tiipuevelopeu by the stuuentsfoi the geneial public of Kelleys Islanu.
T HE S T UDE NT S
Eighteen students participated in the Geology Bridge Program, representing Kelleys Island School,
Columbus City Schools, Findlay High School, and Lorain County Early College High School.
Directors: Andrew Bruening Ph.D. & Andrew Bloom
Metro Early College Teacher & Linden McKinley STEM Academy Teacher
2012: June 11th June 16th | Level II
Groovin with Glaciers
krttrvs IstnNb, Cn
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T HE S T ORY
The second session of the Kelleys Island Bridge Program focused on Geology. As this group of
students spent several days on the island learning about its unique geological history.
It didnt take long for the students to settle in at Camp Patmos. Bunks were quickly chosen and
gear stashed away. Some students, who wandered down to the shore, suddenly felt very far away
from home when they realized they could see Canada across the lake.
Andrew Bruening, the lead instructor, designed this
session around the concepts of sediment deposition,
glaciation, fossil formation, and erosion. Kelleys Island is
known for its easily accessible, inactive limestone quarry
and glacial grooves, which are both prime examples of
the features Dr. B wanted to highlight.
The fiist moining of the Biiuge Piogiam, stuuents saw
a small area of glacial grooves located right behind their
cabin. While it was certainly interesting, and something
the students had never seen before, a much larger and
more impressive example was waiting for them at the
state park. Dr. Bruening explained that this land the
students were standing on used to be located in the area
now known as the Bahamas. Over millions of years, this
land made its way north via plate tectonics and over time
layers and layers of sediment were deposited. When the
glaciers moved through, the top layers of sediment were
scraped off which left behind formations resembling
waves of iolling iock. 0nce pait of the ocean flooi,
fossilized examples of early ocean life forms are easily
seen today.
Its a stretch of
the imagination
to envision
what it must
have looked
like during
these different
geological
stages and
the students
found it mind
boggling that
the land they
were standing
on was once
buried under
miles and miles
of glacial ice.
13
The other geological feature that makes Kelleys Island
a great outdoor classroom for budding geologists is
the opportunity to explore both active and inactive
quarries. Great deposits of limestone were discovered
by early island settlers who turned the excavation
of this rock into one of the islands main industries.
Armed with rock hammers, the students descended
into the abandoned quarry on Kellys Island in search
of fossils.
Midweek, the students took a quick ferry ride over
to Marblehead, on the mainland, to visit the Lafarge
Quarry where limestone is still being excavated,
processed, and shipped to construction companies
in the Midwest. Students were able to witness a
dynamite explosion and watched as the rock was
collecteu anu moveu acioss the quaiiy flooi to the
immense rock crushing machines. Students were
amazed to learn that four million tons of rock are
processed and shipped every year from just this
one quarry.
During the various expeditions students
took notes and shot videos, documenting
their experiences. These were compiled
into a viitual fielu tiip which was
presented, on their last day, to the general
public before making its way to their
classmates back home.
T HE PART NE RS
14
T HE CONCE PT
The PAST Foundations Cultural Landscapes summer STEM Bridge Program guided students as
they explored the interconnectedness of the people who live on Kelleys Island and their natural
enviionment. Stuuents leaineu about local histoiical figuies anu events anu the impact those eaily
settlers had on the environment, industry, transportation, and culture. Students interviewed local
residents with unique perspectives on past and present island life. During these interviews, the
students came to understand how the natural landscape became an integral component in the
foimation of the islanu's leauing inuustiies. Aftei an intiouuctoiy class in film piouuction, this
infoimation was blenueu to cieate the stuuents' final pioject, a viueo uocumentaiy.
T HE S T UDE NT S
Sixteen students participated in the Cultural Landscape Bridge Program, representing Kelleys
Island School, Columbus City Schools, Grandville Middle School, Hampton Middle School and
Lorain County Early College High School.
Director: Andrew Bloom
Linden McKinley STEM Academy Teacher
2012: June 18th June 23rd | Level I
Engaging with Environment
krttrvs IstnNb, Cn
15
T HE S T ORY
The third week of Kelleys Island Bridge Programs was designed for students to have a true
camping expeiience. Foi many stuuents, this was theii fiist time sleeping outsiue. Setting up tents
proved to be a great team building exercise; not only did the students quickly learn each others
names, but their individual strengths and
personalities also became apparent. It was
evident from the start that this group was
going to get along well and create memories
that would last a lifetime.
0n theii fiist afteinoon, Anuiew Bloom
introduced the students to the study of
Cultural Landscapes, the interconnectedness
of the natural environment and the people
who live theie. The week was filleu with
opportunities to interview locals and visit
island landmarks to get a sense of how the
community on Kelleys Island developed over
the years. Students were divided into teams
and challenged to each take the lead on at
least one interview.
The students found that local residents were
eager to share historical information. Several
residents were very helpful and made sure to point out the natural features of the Island as well as
man-maue stiuctuies the stuuents coulu toui oi visit. The museum was the fiist go-to souice but,
with the help of the locals and some technology, students discovered that many of Kelleys Island
hiuuen gems aie iuentifieu on the ueocache website, www.geocache.com. 0sing uPS cooiuinates,
students explored the Island, discovering along the way many of the sites that make Kelleys
Island unique. Students visited the cemetery, Indian Burial Mounds, the glacial grooves, Cameron
House, and the abandoned quarry.
Cuiiently, touiism anu commeicial fishing aie the main inuustiies on the islanu anu stuuents
weie able to meet with iepiesentatives fiom both inuustiies. A local commeicial fisheiman
docked his boat for a
few hours, explaining
how the commercial
fishing inuustiy has
been revived with the
implementation of
stricter environmental
protections that
have resulted in a
dramatically cleaner
Lake Erie.
The natural landscape
came alive as students
interviewed a local
16
artist who relies on Lake
Erie for his livelihood,
using glacial erratic
rocks from the area as
his sculpture medium.
Students were both
fascinated and impressed
by the creativity and
skill of his work while
meandering through the
gallery and sculpture
gardens.
During their days on the
island, students found that
industry, environment,
people, and history
all connect to create a
sense of place. In addition, one element that impacts
life on the island, and cant be overlooked, is the
weather. During their last two nights on the island
the students found themselves driven out of their
rain soaked tents seeking shelter in the luxurious
comfort of the Kelleys Island school gym. The
students welcomed the change of accommodations
and greatly appreciated having electricity, which
enabled them to recharge their ipods, watch movies,
and use the gyms sound system for an impromptu
dance party. Everyone agreed it was a fun way to cap
off a great week.
T HE PART NE RS
17
T HE CONCE PT
The fiagile ecosystems of the coial ieefs aie subject to natuial anu cultuial influences that can
have detrimental effects. Each year tens of thousands of tourists visit the Florida keys and their
impact is substantial. To help protect and understand these fragile ecosystems it is important for
scientists to continually collect data to monitor the impact of such events. Students went to several
different reef systems where they snorkeled over both natural reefs and shipwrecks to collect
their own data. Students were immersed in the cultural and natural resources of the Florida Keys,
including shipwrecks, maritime trade, geological wonders, and Coral Sea habitats.
T HE S T UDE NT S
Ten students participated in the Marine Ecology Bridge Program, representing Columbus City
Schools and Columbia River High School in Washington.
Directors: Sheli Smith Ph.D. & Andrew Bruening Ph.D.
PAST Foundation Programs Director & Metro Early College Teacher
2012: July 22nd July 28th | Level II
Snorkeling With Shipwrecks
krv Lnnco, IL
18
T HE S T ORY
The Marine Ecology Bridge Program started well before sunrise as a group of Columbus students
woke up and gathered their belongings, including the all important ipods and cell phones, hopped
in the car, and headed for the Port Columbus airport. For many students, this was an adventure
of fiists: the fiist time away fiom
home, the fiist plane tiip, anu the fiist
glimpse of an ocean. Its safe to say
that there was a bit of apprehension
mixed with excitement, as the
students met at the check-in counter
and prepared to board the plane.
It ended up being a long day of
travel and most of the students were
exhausted once they arrived at the
Quiescence dorms in Key Largo,
Florida. After a good night of sleep and
breakfast, the students were eager to
try out their new snorkeling gear at
Pennekamp State Paik. The fiist uay's
assignment involveu finuing "the olu Spanish ship wieck" (cieateu by paik iangeis anu sunk 1uu
feet offshore), then locating, counting, and measuring the ships cannons. All of this information
was recorded underwater on their waterproof mylar clipboards.
After their initial outing, the students met with Cate, from the dive shop, to learn how to identify
all the uiffeient species of fish they woulu see in the coming uays. Familiai with the unique
identifying characteristics of the numerous species, students created nicknames to keep the over
200 types of species from getting jumbled in their minds.
The following morning, the students boarded the boats and headed six miles off shore to their
fiist uive site. The seas weie a bit choppy but it uiun't uetei the kius fiom enjoying themselves
once they reached their destination. The brief episodes of sea sickness were soon forgotten as the
students jumped off the boat into the clear blue water and started exploring this new underwater
19
woilu. Fish, lots of fish, uaiteu fiom
the coral reefs and the debris of old
shipwrecks were seen below. Over the
next few days students visited famous
dive sites such as Captain Toms Wreck,
Molasses Reef, City of Washington, and
Christ of the Abyss.
Afternoons were spent on land and
the students had the opportunity
to visit some of the well known Key
Largo area destinations. This provided
incredible and meaningful educational
experiences for those interested in the
concerns surrounding preservation
and management of this fragile aquatic
ecosystem. Students visited NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the
Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center, the Windley Key Geological Park, and a special trip to
the Florida Everglades National Park where students had an up-close encounter with an alligator.
For many students, the days in this aquatic
classroom expanded their world. With
minds miles away from their daily routine,
soaking in the experience of this underwater
adventure created lasting memories.
T HE PART NE RS
20
T HE CONCE PT
The Forensic Science and Anthropology Field School was an intensive, four-week course with an
emphasis on Forensic Anthropology. Students participated in the resolution of a mock medicolegal
death investigation from crime scene discovery to courtroom testimony. Throughout the process
students received hands-on training by law enforcement, legal professionals, and forensic
scientists. Participants improved interpersonal, professional, and public presentation skills;
woikeu coopeiatively in a gioup; employeu the scientific methou to answei questions ielateu
to ciime scene ieconstiuction; leaineu how scientific uisciplines can be applieu to the legal
system; and distinguished between forensic science as portrayed in popular media, in contrast
with the reality of forensic science as practiced by professionals. Overall, participants gained an
appreciation for the role of an anthropologist in medicolegal death investigations.
T HE S T UDE NT S
Eleven stuuents paiticipateu in the fielu school: six stuuents fiom The 0hio State 0niveisity anu
five coming fiom 0hio Wesleyan 0niveisity, Tulane 0niveisity, 0niveisity of Cential Floiiua,
University of Vermont, and University of Washington.
Director: Adam Kolatorowicz, M.S.
Ph.D. Candidate, The Ohio State University
2012: June 18th July 13th | Level III
Irom Cr|me Scene 1o Courtroom
Cotumsus, Cn
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T HE S T ORY
The program began with an orientation meeting that released any nervous excitement and
anticipation that had been building in the days leading up to the start of the program. Instructors
and students got to know each other a little better through a number of fun, ice-breaking activities
that garnered a lot of laughs from
the entire group. The team building
continued the next day as students
learned orienteering skills that they
would later apply to documenting the
crime scenes. Next began a series of
visits from legal professionals, law
enforcement agents, and forensic
scientists who worked with students
to train them in specialized methods
and techniques to effectively and
scientifically builu theii case. The bulk
of the work was completed in the form of
hands-on, lab-based activities in which
students transformed their textbook
knowledge into applied skills. They
finally hau the oppoitunity to peifoim
the methods they had previously only seen on television or read about in books.
Each uay was filleu with activities that testeu stuuents' abilities to synthesize uata anu uiaw
conclusions fiom theii obseivations. The fiist thiiu of the piogiam focuseu on tiaining stuuents
in the skills necessary to process the mock crime scenes. The middle third involved the actual
investigation and collection of
eviuence. The final thiiu of the
program involved students processing
eviuence to help fit the pieces of the
puzzle together. All the while students
examined human and non-human
skeletal remains, photographed
(mock) crime scenes, collected insects
from decomposing animal remains,
used cadaver dogs and ground
penetrating radar to locate buried
victims, and reconstructed the living
faces of people based on their skulls.
In between activities, students visited
and received tours of the state crime
lab anu the county coionei's office.
One of the most visceral experiences,
was the excavation of a (fake) body
from the soil, which required students to be meticulous, attentive, and focused for long periods of
time, all the while continuously uncovering rather unpleasant (fake) human remains. The students
attacked each new challenge with vigor and discipline, and the many presenters provided rigorous
challenges of all kinds.
22
The program concluded with a mock
trial in Franklin County Common
Pleas Court in front of a real judge and
practicing attorneys. The attorneys and
judges worked closely with the students
in the days leading up to the trial,
which was an ingenious way to tie the
information from the previous weeks
together. Each student played the role of
a specific foiensic expeit anu was askeu
to testify as to their involvement in the
case. In turn they also played the role
of the jury by which guilt or innocence
was determined. The students enjoyed
the role playing and quick thinking this
required, and deftly showed their ability
to synthesize data in this context.
The four weeks passed quickly, with students digging for bodies and handling rather unseemly
aitifacts, so the final uay in a comfoitably caipeteu couitioom with piofessional clothing cieateu
a victorious atmosphere after the
days of toil. Although the program
was over in a months time,
longlasting professional and friendly
relationships that were created over
the couise of the fielu school.
The Forensic Anthropology Field
School was implemented in concert
with The Ohio State University
Department of Anthropology, along
with several important partners
including The Ohio State University
Department of Public Safety,
Fianklin County Coionei's 0ffice,
K9 Response Search & Rescue, Ohio
Buieau of Ciiminal Iuentification
and Investigation, Ohio Valley Archaeology, Inc., and the Franklin County Common Pleas Court.
T HE PART NE RS
In addition to running Summer Programs, The PAST Foundation, offers year-round STEM program
support through three distinct areas: design challenges, special program initiatives, and space
design allocation.
Design Challenges
This year PAST Foundation hosted two Design Challenge for students in Central Ohio, the Roller
Coaster Design Challenge and Spring Fling Design Challenge. Over 300 students signed up for, and
participated in, these two events. In February, student teams set up their small scale model roller
coasters inside COSI and spent an exciting day watching marbles speed through the constructs.
Months later, at Whetstone High School, students built catapults and trebuchets, lofted water
balloons at targets, and budding actors performed their 21st century versions of Shakespeares
classics.
Special Programs
The PAST Foundation also supports problem based learning and STEM education through year-
round community focused programs. The GEM (Girls Empowerment Mural) Project was funded
through a grant from The Womens Fund of Central Ohio and it provided female students in the
Linden Community an opportunity to express themselves and gain leadership skills through
art. The young women at Linden McKinley STEM Academy each produced a panel depicting how
they could create positive change in their community, and those panels are on display around the
Linden Community.
This year the PAST Foundation also assumed sponsorship of CORI (Columbus Ohio Robotics
Initiative). Student teams designed, built and tested robots at their home schools. In June, they
competed against other area teams at the annual CORI competition, held this year at Dublin
Coffman High School.
Design Spaces
After the PAST Foundation moved to larger quarters across the street from Metro High School, the
additional space allowed PAST to open the facility to Metro High School and other area high school
students who want to take advantage of our new Innovation and Fabrication labs, as well as the
multi-purpose classroom space.
Developed by The PAST Foundation
Coasters, Catapu|ts, CCkI, and Commun|ty
23
T HE S T ORY
Fifteen teams from Ohio and China met on
February 1st at COSI for the second annual Roller
Coaster Design Challenge. Returning teams from
Metro Early College High School pitted their
seasoned talent against newcomer teams from
Linden McKinley High School in Columbus, and
against four visiting teams from Beijing New
Bridge Foreign Language School. The teams had
the opportunity to compete in both marketing
and actual roller coaster construction. As in the
previous year, the object of the challenge was to
accurately predict the speed or velocity of the
silicone ball traveling along the coaster track
anu the u-Foice exeiteu at specific monitoieu
points on the track. The closer the prediction to
the actual recorded data on each teams three
Sponsored by Time Warners Connect A Million Minds
Adventures In Var|anons Cf Ve|oc|ty
24
trial runs resulted in higher scores. Students from Ohio States Engineering Department and OSUs
Women in Engineeiing, leu by Biau 0keson of CoasteiBynamix", juugeu the challenge by setting
up the monitors on the tracks and tallying the competitor scores.
Along with the actual build of the roller coaster, a number of teams created marketing plans and
piesentations about theii specific coastei anu scientific posteis, shown to assembleu auuiences
from COSI, family, and friends. Judges from Murphy Epson and PAST scored the participants
against a set of challenge criteria. In
addition, Junior Judges from Linden
Elementary Schools sixth grade
awarded the Junior Judges Award
for excellence in explaining how
the roller coaster works to younger
students.
Dan Mashalko of WCBE, the Roller
Coaster Challenges Media Partner,
served as emcee for the event,
encouraging the teams and keeping
the audience abreast of each teams
accrued results. By early afternoon,
the Beijing New Bridge Foreign
Language School (BFLS) team,
Tornado, walkeu away with fiist
place in the roller coaster challenge. Linden McKinley STEM Academys team (LMSA), Big Splash,
took second followed by Metro Early Colleges team, Go, in third. Teams Go, House of the Dead
(LMSA), and Big Splash took fiist, seconu anu thiiu iespectively foi cieation of publishable-quality
scientific posteis. Linuen NcKinley STEN Acauemy swept all thiee places foi the maiketing
presentations, led by House of the Dead, Big Splash, and The Metal Dragon 2000.
The PAST Challenge team is grateful to all of the partners who made possible the roller coaster
challenge creating a wonderful event for kids, judges, and audience alike. Special thanks to
COSI and OSU Physics Department, along with OSUs Engineering Department, OSU Women in
Engineering, OSU Scholars Program, Battelle STEM Innovation Networks, Murphy Epson, The Ed
Council, The uiavity uioup, CoasteiByamix", uieat Coasteis Inteinational, anu WCBE.
25
T HE PART NE RS
T HE S T ORY
The 2012 Spring Fling Design Challenge,
sponsored by Time Warners Connect A Million
Minds, was held on May 16th at Whetstone
High School.
The Spring Fling Design Challenge encouraged
students to utilize a systems and design
approach, model critical thinking skills, engage
in applied learning, and collaborate. Spring Fling
activities promote transdisciplinary, problem-
based learning by pivoting on Renaissance-
era activities, engaging students in science,
math, engineering, strategy, language arts, and
fine aits.
Sponsored by Time Warners Connect A Million Minds
Trebuchets and Targets
26
Students participating in this
years event had the opportunity
to compete in the following design
challenges:
Siege Machines (trebuchets and
catapults): students transported
the machines, built at their
respective schools, to the battle
fielu", wheie they launcheu watei
balloons to test accuracy, distance
and precision.
Globe Performances: students
modernized a Shakespearean play
of their choice and performed it in
front of an audience of their peers,
parents, and a panel of judges.
Heraldic Banners: students
designed beautiful banners,
displaying 21st century skills.
Castle Siege Strategy Game:
students incorporated medieval
battle strategies in the design and
creation of a castle siege board
game. The games were played
during the event, and judged by the Columbus Area Boardgaming Society.
Roughly 200 students, from grades 4-12, participated in this years event. Teams from Linden
McKinley STEM Academy, Reynoldsburg eSTEM Academy, Baldwin Road Junior High, Gateway
Gifted Academy, and Pickerington Central High School worked hard, enjoyed the multi-school
competition, and all proudly represented their respective schools. Special thanks to Dan Mushalko
from WCBE, who emceed the event, and to all staff at Whetstone High School who helped make it a
flawless event.
27
T HE PART NE RS
T HE S T ORY
In 2012, The PAST Foundation started the GEM Mural project, funded through a grant provided by
The Womens Fund of Central Ohio.
The GEM program began with educators, community members, and female students
brainstorming together on how they could empower
young women in the Linden community. The goals
of the program are to change the perception of girls
ioles in the community, ieuefine theii place in Linuen,
and provide a unifying voice for young women to be
agents of change. The program is meant to open up
possibilities for young women looking to engage in,
and take ownership of, meaningful work.
The program got off to a great start when world-
renowned mural artist Olivia Gude came to Columbus
to work with Linden educators to share her
Funded by The Womens Fund of Central Ohio
Arnsnca||y 1ransform|ng Commun|ty
28
experiences to help design the start of the GEM program.
From there The PAST Foundation and teachers worked
with students to brainstorm ideas about how they could
become change makers in their community. Students
answered the question How can you create change, in
your home, your school, and your Linden community
through art making?.
The five uEN high school leaueis uesigneu anu cieateu
panels on recycled boards. The group of student leaders
came together once a week to brainstorm ideas and
discuss how they would take on such a project. Along
the way they recruited the help of fellow students,
educators, and artists. In the end their concepts ranged
from young women combating cyber bullying to creating
safe and clean community spaces for all. The leaders are
immortalized in portraits through out the panels, but
more importantly, will continue to inspire change through
the dialogue their paintings ignite.
In addition to the creation of the panels for the 2012 GEM
program, another permanent mural was created by 5th
grade students at Linden STEM Academy and a couple of
the LSMA high school leaders. The Linden STEM Academy
mural addresses peace in the Linden community. Every
5th grade student created a piece of the mural and has
imagery represented on the wall piece. Students worked
with their art teacher, artists, GEM leaders, and other
community members to successfully convey their message
of peace and their vision for the Linden community.
The GEM project will continue in 2013, and the next phase
has already begun. GEM leaders are taking their message
and process into the community by working to help
facilitate mural programs in each of the four elementary
school, as well as designing and creating an outdoor piece
that will be part of the Linden Community Transformation.
29
T HE PART NE RS
T HE S T ORY
In the spring of 2012, the Central Ohio Robotics Initiative (CORI), became a program of the PAST
Foundation. Expanding over the last three years, CORI was looking for a new home and the goals of
both PAST and CORI were complementary and synergistic.
CORI was originally created as a business and education based collaborative working with
youth in the Central Ohio region, to cost-effectively amplify and spread existing, competitive
STEM programs. These programs have proven to increase the number of students seeking, and
graduating from, college STEM programs. To date CORI has hosted three off-season events and
helped start and mentor at least nine new teams, which more than doubled the number of teams in
central Ohio over the last three years.
KE Y CORI PROGRAM OBJ E CT I V E S
- Help schools increase performance and decrease costs in STEM education
- Inciease inteiest anu pioficiency in STEN skills, paiticulaily among unueiiepiesenteu
student populations
- Foster a STEM talent pipeline as a key driver of the local and state economy
Sponsored by Central Ohio Robotics Initiative
Geeks, Gadgets, and Games
30
Since its inception, CORI has hosted three hugely successful
robotics competitions in Columbus. The competitions are
an off-season replica of the FIRST Robotics Competitions.
(FIRST For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and
Technology - please see http:www.usfiist.oig).
The robot competitions are a combination of a technology-
based sporting event with robots, a rock concert and
well geeks! Each year, in early January, students receive
an engineeiing challenge anu specifications of the iobot's
competitive task. Over the next six weeks, teams around the
country design, build, and test their 100+ pound robot in
preparation for the regional event.
Off-season events give teams who compete in the FIRST
Robotics Competition an opportunity to continue to test, re-
design, and tweak the robots used during the school year. It
also allows less experienced and new members of the team
to gain more experience with the robot. The off-season event, graciously supported by Connect a
Million Minds and Time Warner Communications, is held in late June. Students from around the
region converge in Columbus for an exciting weekend of competition, collaboration and gracious
professionalism.
Each time CORI helps to get a new robotics team started, one of the existing schools mentors the
new team, sharing knowledge, experience, advisor information, and collaborative work time.
With all its success hosting events and starting robotics teams, CORI is most proud of the students.
These amazing young people, some of who are the brightest of the bright and others who may have
slipped through the cracks of the educational system, together found relevance for what they
learn in the classroom.
CORI organizers see the real impact of their work when these students enter college. The students
professors have told CORI that the programs students know what engineering is about, and
already know how to use needed equipment. Also, professors indicate that CORI students are more
likely to stay in their STEM program. In addition, these students are more likely to get internships
because hiring companies know that FIRST students can work as a team under pressure.
The PAST Foundation is excited to welcome CORI and looks forward to many successful events.
31
T HE PART NE RS
T HE S T ORY
This summer the PAST Foundation started a fundraising campaign
on Kickstarter.com to raise funds to create a student run and
operated fabrication lab.
Students from all over the country can now send their designs to
the Innovation Lab and student/teacher teams from Columbus
Metro High School will take those designs and bring them to life
using 3D printers and other fabrication machines in the lab. The
completed projects will be shipped back to the students who
originally created the designs.
The renovated space will be completed and available for use in
November 2012.
Community-Funded through Kickstarter.com
Student Insp|ranon 1o kea|-Wor|d Innovanon
32