Pupils pass on recess, help with computers


By Denise Dick

The pupils clean computers, download software and size photos for the school Web site.

BOARDMAN — Fourth-graders at Robinwood Elementary give up their recess, three days a week, to work on computers.

Teacher Janet Sandy, who leads the pupils, selects several to work with her each grading period.

“After lunch, they come here every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and give up their recess,” Sandy said.

The pupils clean computers in all classrooms, download new software, help Sandy scan and size photographs for the school’s Web site and prepare PowerPoint presentations.

Emily Bluedorn and Bailey Brandt, both 9, and Paige Willis and Mark Slavens, both 10, are among the computer club kids.

“We take pictures too,” Mark said.

All of the kids flitted among computer work stations on a recent morning, demonstrating their computer knowledge.

Mark helped teach first-graders how to use the school’s e-mail system, instructing them on how to input their user names and passwords and to communicate with one another.

Paige and Emily download the school’s latest software upgrades.

“We did all of it in one recess,” Emily said.

Paige lists the downloading as her favorite computer club activity.

Bailey created a PowerPoint presentation, featuring photographs of and messages to the friends she’s made at Robinwood. The presentation will be shown during fourth-grade graduation later this year.

“I really use the kids to do a lot,” their teacher said. “They’re my right hands. I don’t know how I’d get everything I do done without them.”

Besides information about school lunches and meetings, the school’s Web boasts a gallery of photographs showing teachers and pupils engaged in class and fun activities. Several teachers keep cameras in their classrooms to fill the site.

The pupils say they don’t miss recess.

“We go on Mondays and Fridays,” Bailey explained. “And if we get done with our work and it’s nice, we go outside.”

But most free time after their computer work is done is spent playing on the computers.

“Bailey found this site called Kerpoof,” Emily said.

“You can make movies, draw pictures, make messages,” Mark added about Kerpoof.com.

Bailey said Emily heard about the site and told her, and the group has been visiting ever since.

“It’s awesome because they teach one another so much,” Sandy said.

Webkinz, the Internet pets, also are a big hit.

“I think this whole school is crazy over Webkinz,” Sandy said.

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