Central Park in Syracuse

What do you think of the idea of making interstate 81 go underground as it passes through Syracuse?

Thats an idea being considered as part of a plan to make the city center more attractive and bring downtown and SU closer together.

Check out the plan, and imagine a great park within walking distance of ITC.

Maybe they can use the money they are saving by not renovating the greystone?

(Drawing: Stephen Beuchner architects)

Also: John Updike RIP

Oscar Worthy?

ITC Spanish students decided to have some fun with their Spanish project. They worked hard on this, from writing the script to staying after school to shoot the scenes to editing and posting on youtube.

The result is an instant classic. Stay to the end and watch the bloopers!

A well deserved "A" I'd say. What do you think?

Letters to The President

What advice would you offer to our new President Barack Obama?

And just as important, what will you do to help him make our country a better place?

Mrs. Lopez asked this of her students and here is a sampling of some of their excellent ideas.

January 22, 2009

President Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C., 20500


Dear Mr. President,

I am very grateful that you are the new 44th President of the United States. As I use “our” I mean we the people, the citizens of this country. I know you will change our country or should I say improve it for the better. I know you can’t do it alone. Like in your speech during the inauguration you said “our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare for a new age.” You will have our generation to help you. You inspired me to achieve my goals and become what I was inspired to be. I now know that you can achieve anything. Now we have a black President, I will definitely tell this experience to my children and my children’s children. So, we thank you.

Sincerely,

Laniesha M. Dotson
Syracuse, New York
Institute of Technology



January 22, 2009

President Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C., 20500

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing you to let you know that I am with you 100%. We can make change happen. One way I can start that change is in my neighborhood. I am going to start getting all the little ones (children) and doing early academic interventions with them. For example, I will teach them the alphabet and numbers, do hands on activities and care for them. I would the to see them ten years from now somewhere they should not be. After I make changes in my neighborhood I want to make other people realize that change can happen and even one person can make a change.

Sincerely,

Vanessa Rosado
Syracuse, New York
Institute of Technology


January 22, 2009

President Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President,

I have all faith in you that you would try your best to make the United States a better place. My peers and I will do our best to support you in our community and in our city. I notice in your speech you mentioned the word “we” a lot. To me that mean us, the United States as ONE. I will try my best to do all I can do to help you out, to make our nation great again. I think the wars need to end first, and then from there we can solve any other problems. The United States is facing many economic hardships, from a housing crisis to welfare reform. Mr. Obama you have a lot of support from the United States including me in all the decisions you make.

Sincerely,

Jonteisha Jennings
Syracuse, New York
Institute of Technology


Have any ideas of your own? Please feel free to leave some in the comments section.

Regents Week @ ITC

While other high schools send their students home for Regents week, here at ITC we thought it would be a great time to bring the students back to school in some fun and creative ways. We've never done it this way before but with all the preparation and everyone helping out we are hoping for a great turn out and most importantly a FUN TIME FOR ALL!

Here is a list of activities we've planned:

Tues Jan. 27
Photography (with expert advice provided by ace photographer Jake)
Ice Skating
Building Pitching Mounds

Wed Jan. 28
Spa Day
Strategic Games
Cookie Making
Improv Live
Candy Making
College Admission Explained
Fashion Exploration and Makeup


Thursday Jan. 29
Press Your Luck
Advanced Art Projects
CPR Certification
Hispanic Luncheon


Good luck to everyone taking their Regents! The schedule can be found here.

Click on the Regents Exam link (top right) to study some old exams and prepare.

President, Poster, Photography

Sanjeev sent me this website where you can create your own Shepard Fairey inspired posters.

Take a photo of something you like, upload it to the website, create the poster and send it to the website like others have done (see above).

Hmm, perfect project for Regents week! Have fun!

What a Day!

Today, Jan. 20th, 2009 will be remembered forever through history. It is that special and that important a day. Remember it well.

Barack Hussein Obama becomes the first black President of the USA. Millions at home and around the world will now look to him for guidance and leadership, because he also becomes leader of the Free World. Talk about pressure!

Some pictures of the day from the Washington Post.

Obamas inaugural speech here.

We had a reporter from the Post Standard at ITC to watch us watch the inauguration. She seemed to be more concerned about the technical hitches than in what the students had to say.

More news from other schools in the area.

(Photo: Doug Mills, The New York Times)

Another Year Behind Us

Two posts in one.

First, since many of us are interested in photography what better way to look back at 2008 than with some great pics from the NY Times.

And heres another great way to start the new year, with this uplifting, hopeful poem from Brittany, meaning of course that others can send theirs in too!

CHANGE

By: Brittany Ditch

Everything I have is right here

Showing me how to fly

Not letting a day go to waste

Making choices

My feelings are the facts

You left me here

I became frightened

How was I going to move on?

Since October 10th past

I changed

Talking to my mom on the phone

Being around my Dad 24/7

Not letting a moment go to waste

Holding onto a family

That once drove me unbelievably insane

Is now my favorite place to be

Never seeing what I had

Changed Me