By Jack Ryan
News Editor 
Prospect’s Innovative Technological Facilitator Matt Hamilton was brought upon the idea of competing in a web based challenge called the Follett Challenge six to eight weeks ago by our librarian Christie Sylvester.
At that time Sylvester came up to Hamilton at a meeting in the library with other teachers, and told him and others like Business Education teacher Frank Novak about this Follett Challenge and how somebody at Prospect should enter and compete in the challenge.
After Hamilton and Novak looked into the challenge, they found out that all they had to do to enter was submit a three to five minute video before Jan 9 that demonstrates how a program is preparing students for demands in the 21st century. From also looking into the challenged they found out that to win the challenge they would need at least 20 percent of their overall score from the judges to be votes from the public, and the other 80 to be based off the judges votes. (see edge)
When they looked over the rules of the Follett Challenge, Hamilton and Novak looked at each other and decided that they were going to make a video on the IOS Apps Programming class here at Prospect since the class makes apps with Apple’s program calls Swift. Also, both of them feel that this class prepares kids the most for the 21st century.
The reason they think that is according to Hamilton it helps students learn how to code devices, and that gives them an advantage in the business world since they have one more skill under their belt. From them knowing how to code devices, they also know how those devices work as well, and according to him, that is what will prepare kids for the 21st century.
When Prospect entered the challenge Hamilton got the word out there about this challenge by posting links on schoology to vote for students to see and vote for the video. The word also got out by teachers like Ms. Leazer having asked her health class to go on the page and vote for the video. People have until Jan 30 to vote for the video, and then submissions will be sent in to the judges and the winners will be chosen.
If Prospect wins the challenge and becomes the Grand Prize Winners they will receive a 60,000 dollar award for being one of the semi-finalist and for being the winner of the semi-finalists. If they win they can use the money towards the school, and not only does Hamilton think winning the money is a benefit, but he also thinks that by winning this award it will give recognition the IOS Apps Programming class since it is only one of seven in the world.
“It would mean a lot to me to have the school recognized, it doesn’t mean too much to me personally as much as it does to me professionally, I would love to show this off,” Hamilton said.
How the videos are judged:
1) Critical thinking
2) Communication
3) Collaboration between students
4) Collaboration among librarians, teachers, special teachers and/or administrators
5) Creativity
Prospect’s Follet Challenge Website:
-512 votes so far!
-Vote Before It’s To Late!
http://follettchallenge.com/video.cfm?id=476