one-of-a-kind summer opportunity

Here's the deal...

Some of you may have jobs this summer, but some of you may not.

I, as sole professional woman attached to no one but myself, would like to offer you an opportunity that you may be interested in.

There is a "Summer Camp" at the Challenger Learning Center/New Mexico (located at 1776 Montano NW Albuquerque, NM 87107) that offers special "camps" throughout the summer for various age groups that are interested in Space, Science, Engineering, Rockets, NASA (you know the government agency.) Honestly, these camps are not just for the space or science minded, they are for anyone that is interested in building, playing, and creating simulations.

Take a look at the website http://www.challengernm.org/

I would like to sponsor one young adult/teen to attend a camp called "NASA's Tiger Team."
Learn more about this specific camp http://www.challengernm.org/summer-camp-programs.php Click on Tiger Team. Here's the basic explanation and the dates and times.

TIGER TEAM
July 12 – 16
12:30pm – 3:30pm
Gr. 6 – 12*
$125
Step up to the plate as a member of the Tiger Team to solve unexpected problems that arise during a space mission based on real NASA situations. Campers will devise solutions, test, modify, and retest their solutions to save the astronauts! Many fun problem solving activities and games abound!

If you are interested in doing this, you need to send me a one paragraph note telling me why you want to attend. Why? Because I am sponsoring you, meaning you would not pay the tuition. I can only sponsor one person so that's why I ask you to write something up for me.

If you are chosen, we will get you registered and voila.
Remember, you will need a ride to get there if you are chosen.

One more thing you may want to know about the Challenger Learning Center.
The Challenger was a space shuttle. It is known for it's explosion after lift-off on January 28, 1986. Since the entire nation watched the explosion and the loss of the crew inside it was a pretty dramatic and sad event. I still remember when it happened. The family members of the crew who were lost decided to ban together and create a foundation of learning centers around the country (there are few) to do things like this for young people.

If you want to try to do this... email me lesquerra@hotmail.com a paragraph stating why you would like to do this. Make sure you provide me with your full name and contact information. In the emails subject line, put "Challenger Learning Center Space Camp"
The camp begins on July 12th so I'm setting a deadline for you to get this information to me by Wednesday, July 7th.

Give it a try, you never know where it may lead.

-A highly wired lady.

Dude Perfect and Basketball

Seriously, we cant't be too serious all the time. I tend to get in that habbit. I know that I'm a Librarian and I'm all about serious information but this is definitley some good information (if you haven't seen it already.)
These "Dude Perfect" guys are crazy amazing with their basket ball shots. If you haven't seen them, take a look. I know you watch Youtube because I see you do it all the time. Youtube is a very good source of information.

Take a look for yourself:

http://www.dudeperfect.com/
And click on the videos.

This is my favorite shot. The airplane shot... it doesn't get better than this.
http://www.dudeperfect.com/?page_id=82


Now that is some good information. And we'll get serious later.

-a highly wired lady

Volunteering

It's been awhile since I've written,

I need to tell you something about volunteering for the libraries this summer when school is out.

Most of us, for some reason, including I, will be a volunteer in the future or have been one in the past. Every summer our libraries provide you with the opportunity to volunteer. Basically, you volunteer for the library's summer reading program. Each of our libraries has one.

What do you do? It depends on the library branch you volunteer for. But the general idea is to have you help out the librarians and library staff with the summer reading program. This means, giving out prizes, signing people up for the program, assisting with the summer reading events and activities that each branch plans, keeping records (easy.) Sometimes, you may help us out with other work we do. Nothing tough. A volunteer usually has a schedule for the summer reading program; sort of like a job. You would be here at this day and at this time every week. Usually you cannot work more than two hours a day. And, if you are between the ages of 12-15, you are allowed to work no more than 8 hours a week. Like I said before, each branch handles their volunteer hours and schedules a little differently but we all abide by the same rules.

If you are interested in volunteering, visit one of the libraries and fill out an application. You can also download the application from our website http://www.cabq.gov/library
Make sure your parent signs it and you provide a valid ID (this can be a school ID.) The deadline for applying is June 4th. I know, that doesn't give you much time.

If you don't feel like volunteering, that's okay. But one thing that you may want to do that is super easy is to sign-up for the summer reading program. You sign-up as a teen.
You are given a card when you sign-up. You put your name on it and contact info. Keep the card with you. Every hour you read, you make a mark on the card. After ten hours of reading, you drop your card off at the library, get a new card, and we enter you in a drawing to win some nice prizes. There are weekly drawings and the grand prize drawings (the grand prize drawings happen at the end of summer reading.)
Prizes for weekly drawings include: Movie Passes, Dion's Gift Certificates, Hinkle's Passes, Hasting's Gift Certificates, and Books.
Grand Prize drawings include:$100 gift card to shope at the mall, $100 gift card to shop at Target, $50 gift card to Active Imagination, Digital Camera. REMEMBER, THE DRAWING FOR THE GRAND PRIZES ARE AT THE END OF SUMMER READING. The more you read, the better chance you have to win one of these prizes.

Even if you can't or don't feel like volunteering I understand, but you should sign-up for the summer reading program. It's easy. You can read anything, someone can read to you, or you can listen to an audiobook if you like those the best.

Many of our libraries are also having special teen activities and events planned. If you look on our website http://www.cabq.gov/library you will find a pig splashing into a pool (yes, I know.)
Click on find out more and you will find the different activities and events going on at each of the libraries around town.

I'll be in touch soon.

-A highly wired lady.

trailers and books

We all have a favorite book that we stumble on from time to time. For some reason, you really like this or that book.

It's like... you can really feel the character(s) and you almost mentally leave your present space and fold into the pages of the book. I can think of a few books that I've read in which I wanted to play the character. For whatever reason, you can just relate and that's what make's it one of your favorite books.

That's exactly what some teenagers are doing in Tucson, AZ with the help of the Pima County Public Libraries. The project is called That's My Take. Teenagers learn from professional filmmakers how to make short films. Fifty-three teens at five branch libraries and two partner locations worked with youth mentors to produce eleven trailers that dramatize their favorite books, including The Lightning Thief, Maximum Ride, Night, and World War Z.

View trailers http://www.library.pima.gov/teenzone/trailers/2009.php

Pretty awesome project I would say.

What would you do if you had the chance to do this?

Well, let's say you're not really digging the filmmaking thing. It is most definitely a lot of work if you don't have the help and support. However... what about making a trailer for you favorite book? A trailer, you know, not like the ones you camp in but the ones that are made to promote movies. A book trailer is the same thing; instead of promoting a movie you are promoting a book.
This is how it's done.

1) Think of a book you want to promote.

2) Write out a storyboard; what is going to happen in each clip. words, sounds, pictures...

3) Don't steal from the net

4) Look for images and sounds that you want to use. If you want to be really creative, take the pictures yourselves and upload them to your computer. Or download certain music from your personal collection into the computer. (I guess if they are personal they probably are already on your computer.)

If you want to get images from the Internet, you need to get creative due to copyright issues.

Yeah, unfortunately, you may not want to copy and paste that image if you are going to make a book trailer out of it and post the trailer to youtube or a social networking site. (I think we have all done the copy and paste but for this try not to.)

There are a number of sites where you can get pictures and sounds from and it's legal. They are:

shuttershock http://www.shutterstock.com/

neosounds http://www.neosounds.com/

fotolia http://us.fotolia.com/

dreamstime http://www.dreamstime.com/

5) Put it all together with a filmmaking software program that is usually already on the computer you are working on. If you have a Mac use iMovie and if you have a PC use Movie Maker.

I used windows movie maker before and it's pretty easy to use. The only advice I have to give is to be patient because a good product takes some time, you'll see.
If you are using a Mac and therefore, iMovie, make sure your Mac is working on Snow Leopard (a specific upgrade to the operating system.)

6) Take a look at what others have done.
Here are some websites that have book trailers on them
Digital Book Talk (This one is okay but you may find other sites better.)
http://digitalbooktalk.com/
WatchTheBook
(If you use this one, scroll down, look to the right of the page. Select a genre.)
http://www.watchthebook.com/
Youtube (I would use this one. In the search box, type in "YA book trailer" or "book trailer.")
http://www.youtube.com/

It's all just some thoughts to throw out. You know you want to try it out or just see for yourself.

And maybe, you'll hook a librarian into helping you.

-a highly wired lady

Battle

For the past two years our libraries have been trying to get you instrumentally gifted people into the library to show your skills. Seriously.
This year, there is going to be a "Battle of the Bands" contest @ Taylor Ranch Library which is on the Westside of town. It will be sponsored by Grandma's Music and Sounds here in 'burque.
If you are solo musician, belong to a band, dj, or a singer(s), I encourage you to bring it. Show your skillz... don't be shy. After all... we are just a bunch of librarians; that's nothing to be afraid of. Maybe you can show us something new.
There is a rule: you have to be between the ages of 12 and 18 to compete.
Of course, there are going to be some pretty good prizes awards.

If you want to know more, call a good friend of mine at the Taylor Ranch Library:
Jason @ 897-8816

-a highly wired lady

The First Penguin

These are not my words. They come from a book (our library has it); it's called

"The Last Lecture."

This professor at Carnegie Mellon University wrote this book when he was dying from cancer a few years ago. His name was Randy Pausch. He is the creator of Alice.org. It's a link on this blog. Look to the left.

This is one of my favorite passages. And I want to share it with you. Look at it however you want it. It's called Be the First Penguin.

Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted.

That's an expression I learned when I took a sabbatical at Electronic Arts, the video-game maker.

It just stuck with me, and I've ended up repeating it again and again to students.

It's a phrase worth considering at every brick wall we encounter, and at every disappointment. It's also a reminder that failure is not just acceptable, it's often essential.

When I taught the "building virtual worlds" course, I encouraged students to attempt hard things and to not worry about failing. I wanted to reward that way of thinking. So at the end of each semester, I'd present one team of students with a stuffed animal--a penguin. It was called "The First Penguin Award" and went to the team that took the biggest gamble in trying new

ideas or new technology, while failing to achieve their stated goals. In essence, it was an award for "glorious failure," and it celebrated out-of-the-box thinking and using imagination in a daring way.

The other students came to understand: "First Penguin" winners were losers who were definitely going somewhere.

The title of the award came from the notion that when penguins are about to jump into water that might contain predators, well, somebody's got to be first the first penguin. I originally called it "The Best Failure Award," but failure has so many negative connotations that students couldn't get past the word itself.

Over the years, I also made a point of telling my students that in the entertainment industry, there are countless failed products. It's not like building houses,where every house built can be lived in by someone. A video game can be created and never make it through research and development . Or else it comes out and no wants to play it. Yes, video-game creators who've had successes are greatly valued. But those who've had failures are valued, too--sometimes even more so.

Start up companies often prefer to hire a chief executive with a failed start-up in his or her background. The person who failed often knows how to avoid future failures. The person who knows only success can be more oblivious to all the pitfalls.

Experiences is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer.

-A highly wired lady

(P.S. Failure is subjective.)

you think you know it all.

I don't know about you but I get frustrated sometimes looking through the Internet's various websites relating subjects we need for school. In fact, sometimes I feel like I waste my time. The library does a pretty good job for certain subjects. But when you want to learn basic facts on a subject, you need help, no one is around, and you're staring at the Internet screen frustrated ready to throw your computer out the window...
Let me show you something I found.
Go to the library's website www.cabq.gov/library
Once you are there look under research assistance which is on the left part of the screen, you might need to scroll down a little. Once you are there, click on Internet for Kids. Yeah, I know, you are not really kid but trust me on this one.
Once you are on the next site click on Awesome Library.
Take a look at the subject links before your eyes. There a lot of different links but if you look towards the top of the links you will find a link that says teens. Click on that one.
Good... Now you have made it to the Awesome Library for Teens. Take a look at the school subjects. Pick one and take a look. I can't really explain what you will find. But most likely, you find what you are look for. YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT. Trust me on this one. You will get there easily if you just look through the subject content and the links inside the subject link.
I found the Math link to be very useful. The Math will take you up to Calculus. Also, I noticed that once I was in a subject, you could find links to news, projects, papers people have written on the topic, periodicals... you get the idea.
You'll see that some of the subject content is better than others. Think about it though, I can easily spend an hour on youtube, and so can you, so you may want to check it out for like fifteen minutes. Maybe the next time you get lost in a subject... this may be a good resource for you.

I have to end with a quote I recently found in a book I read called "Against the Stream" by Noah Levine. Yes, I am proud to say I am a quote fiend.

"...certainly don't believe me. Study the texts, study your own mind, and the highest truth will be revealed. All of what you are looking for is in your own direct experience."

-A highly wired lady