Learn 2 Teach Project Exposition, August 15, 2008

For a full size file of image, follow link below

The project Exposition is a significant event in the Learn 2 Teach, Teach 2 Learn program. This event is free and open to the public.

If you would like to know more about the program, please view the project wiki at: http://learn2teach.pbwiki.com/ This wiki has been written by the participants of the program, inner city youth from many of the neighborhoods of Boston. In it, they explain their projects, and use the wiki to store information about how to work with computer programming, music composition, digital imagery, alternative energy and digital fabrication.

For three weeks at the start of the summer, returning youth teachers and first year youth teachers trained each other in each of the above learning modules, a continuation of the training process begun during the Spring during Saturday learning sessions.

For the second three weeks of the Summer, all the youth teachers work on two complimentary projects: The first is teaching elementary and middle school aged youth in 18 community centers in Boston. The second is a group project in which four or five youth leaders work to create a solution employing many of the learning modules listed above to demonstrate how the community could benefit from their design research.

If you would like to know more about the Learn 2 Teach, Teach 2 Learn program, please visit the following links:

Full size image of the invitation – Link

Wiki – http://learn2teach.pbwiki.com/
Blog – http://l2ttl2.wordpress.com/
Flickr account – http://www.flickr.com/photos/28629285@N02/
Flickr group – http://www.flickr.com/groups/721032@N24/pool/
Facebook Event Page – Link

Innovation from the South Shore

photo of Back Bay filled in during the 1880′s using Otis Steam Shovels, invented in Canton Ma

In the July 3 Globe South section of the Boston Globe is an article about some of the important innovations that have happened just South of Boston.

Some highlights:

1927, Dr. William Hinton, son of former slaves, developed a test for syphilus, one of the most challenging diseases of his time. Dr. Hinton became the first black professor at Harvard Medical School and was a pioneer in preventative medicine.

1836, William Otis of Canton invented the steam shovel, Otis steam shovels were used to fill in the Back Bay. Before his invention, construction workers did not have easy access to the powerful leverage of pneumatic and hydraulic energy systems in their tools.

1890’s, King Gillette The founder of the Gillette corporation came up with the idea for the disposable razor while vacationing in Hull.

1906, Reginald Fessenden developed the first system to transmit voice and music over radio waves. His broadcast of Christmas Eve that year was heard by ships’ radio operators all across the Atlantic. Before that time, they had only communicated via morse code, a language of short and long beeps.

1937, Ruth Wakefield, through experimentation and making do with different materials invented the chocolate chip cookie at the Tollhouse Inn in Whitman.

More Information:

Here is a link to the article: Link

The Boston History and Innovation Collaborative: Link

School for Champions Biography of King Gillette: Link

Boston Breakthroughs: Link

Steam Shovel information: Link

A bio of Dr. Hinton: Link

William Otis on Wikipedia – The polish version has more information (go figure): Link

Back Bay history – Link

Kairos Shen, Chief Planner for the City of Boston

Kairos Shen is the Chief Planner for the City of Boston. He has a strong say in every major architectural project that is built in the city. The article in the 6-29-08 Boston Globe Magazine tells a lot about his interesting story and how buildings and architecture projects are designed in the City of Boston.

Link to article: link

Announcement of his elevation to Chief Planner: link

Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA): link

A brief bio of Kairos Shen: link