Using technology, several students enrolled in the EAST program at Eufaula High School are making major contributions to the development of the long-planned Eufaula Wetlands Park. EAST stands for Education
Using technology, several students enrolled in the EAST program at Eufaula High School are making major contributions to the development of the long-planned Eufaula Wetlands Park.
EAST stands for Education Accelerated by Service & Technology.
Students enrolled in the class chose projects to work on at the start of the school year and proceed at their own pace.
Allison Aday oversees the class.
“The goal is to find technical software they are interested in,” Aday said.
The latest to wade into the wetlands project are artists Tristen Burns and Rachael Brown. Tristen and Rachael are painting two of the tall manholes that are in the park, being developed on about 2.5 acres between Broadway and Belt Streets, west of G Street.
Alex and Jaden have developed a virtual reality vision of the park.
The students have used different programs to achieve their goals.
Tristen and Rachael used SketchUp software to design the pictures they are painting on the cement manholes – which are more towers than holes.
“We’re spending about two hours a day on the project,” Rachael said.
Since completing the design, the students have spent the past week applying primer paint to the manholes and beginning to paint the pictures they created on the first of two structures.
“The idea is to bridge art and technology,” Aday said.
The City of Eufaula and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had to approve of the painting project, since it is on Corps property leased by the city.
There are other towering manholes in the area, to which they may also apply their talent.
Paint for the project was furnished by Team Up to Clean Up.
Virtual Reality
Alex and Jaden have spent the past several months developing a virtual reality vision of Wetlands Park.
Alex used Unreal Engine to build the computer that drives the virtual reality program.
“I knew nothing about building a computer before I started, now I know everything,” Alex said.
Jaden developed the program.
Jaden said he used pictures of the project to guide him as he developed the virtual reality program.
Development of the program was aided by You-Tube and by assistance from an EAST professor in Missouri.
“I learned a lot about it on my own, Jaden said.
Using their creation, a person can walk under water in the park as well as along the trails and bridge that will be integral parts of the site when completed.
“This helps people to see what the wetlands are all about,” Alex said.
Jerry McCormick and Sam Sylvester, both with Team Up to Clean Up, got to experience the virtual reality park last week in the high school library.
Both were amazed at what they saw.
“I give talks all the time about the park using a PowerPoint presentation. This virtual reality program can enhance the presentation,” said McCormick, a driving force behind the development of the park.
The general public also can look at the virtual reality program. Those interested need only to make an appointment with Aday at the high school.
Even more students will get involved with the wetlands on April 20 when they will join Team Up to Clean Up in re-seeding the site.
A lot of seeds were washed away by recent heavy rains.
The rains also prevented workers from removing all of the dirt they wanted to remove.
When the grounds in the area dry out, they will remove some more dirt.