ZapWorks: Problem and Project-based Learning with Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality
Ben Turner, Alex Campbell, Annie Nista, Eric Bitterman

Team Cooper 6 would like to integrate augmented, virtual, and mixed reality into our curricula using the software application ZapWorks. Students will generate augmented learning experiences as a vehicle for demonstrating understanding of our respective content areas. Teachers will create a collaborative, interdisciplinary project related to Human Rights.

Applied Mathematics/Logic Through Circuits
Michael Kumaresan, Greg Leong

To develop curriculum for two new elective courses to be run out of the mathematics department. The first course, tentatively titled “Applied Mathematics: Theory and Practice of Logic through Digital Circuits,” would give students a deep dive into the theory of mathematical logic and its application to the design of digital logic circuits and micro-controllers. The course will be focused on building hands-on projects (using both hardware and software) that apply the mathematical theory and will culminate in a capstone project in which students can design their own final products. In addition to a hardware component, there will be a coding component to the course as well. The second course, tentatively titled “An Introduction to Computational Mathematics and Numerical Analysis,” would give students an introduction to algorithms and scientific computing. Students will study and understand algorithmic techniques for root-finding, cryptography, cybersecurity and computing solutions to linear systems and then use the Python programming language to code and build these algorithms themselves. In addition to teaching some important algorithms, we also wish to provide students with an introduction to statistical analysis and basic regression methods using the Python programming language. Python is widely considered the industry-standard for implementing scientific computing packages, and our hope is that this course will give students a robust foundation in a skill that they can take into college and the marketplace. 

HS Broadcast Journalism 
Kendra Claussen, Dina Hofstetter 

Scarsdale High School has a strong history of teaching journalism through its award-winning student newspaper,  Maroon. In the past few years, the editors and advisers of Maroon have worked diligently to bring the news into the 21st century by creating a bold online version of the publication along with the introduction of a colorful magazine format. It’s way past time for  Maroon to fully engage the school community with the ability to broadcast video, radio, and podcasts. To facilitate this engagement, we are proposing the creation of a broadcast studio as well as a pilot program in broadcast journalism. We are asking for funds to purchase basic audio/visual equipment as well as administrative support to locate and secure appropriate space(s) for the studio. Although a state of the art broadcast studio usually involves construction and a six-figure budget, we are requesting the maximum CFI grant available - $10,000 - a figure that we believe will be enough to support a solid foundation for broadcast journalism at Scarsdale High School.