NEWS RELEASE DA_7_8_RYSS Digital Art project by students from Raul Yzaguirre School For Success (Houston, Texas) currently on exhibit at the Lobby Gallery, Bob Lanier Public Works Building, City of Houston, Texas, U.S.A. Exhibition: November 6, 2009 - December 6, 2010 The online version of the RYSS Digital Art exhibition can be seen at: http://www.tomrchambers.com/DA_7_8_RYSS.html Information about the exhibition: DA_7_8_RYSS [2008-2009 School Year] Middle school students at Raul Yzaguirre School For Success [RYSS], Houston, Texas, U.S.A. participated in a classroom assignment involving GIMP 2 [Photoshop equivalent] photo software and vocabulary building through word identification/meaning via the Internet. The students were given a particular word to research the meaning of online then translate that meaning in photo software as Digital Art. As a result, vocabulary enhancement came to the forefront with acquired skills of manipulating photographs ... utilizing various tools and filters within the software. This cognitive and creative process placed the students in a new environment of hands-on with photo software and the requirement of researching the "real" meaning of a word [vocabulary] then translating this "reality" into a "creative" one through visualization. "Making art" in this respect was a first-time approach for these students and precedent setting for this school [RYSS] to manipulate photographs via photo software to make Digital Art. Digital Artists abound in all sectors as a part of this Digital Revolution we find ourselves a part of these days, which means this classroom process is also vocational. Another interesting aspect to this project/process is the fact that the students ... who usually don't enjoy vocabulary building within a language arts setting ... took the word assignments in stride to be able to visualize their meanings as art and in this case, Digital Art.  Disclaimer: photographs for the manipulations were downloaded from the Internet strictly for educational purposes. Teacher's Statement: "I believe the most important aspect of this digital art project and its showcasing is the fact that a classroom assignment such as this ... or any other ... has transcended the confines of the room and the school system to provide impact or stimulus within the community. This impact or stimulus is a realization for the students who participated, their families, their school system members and community members that what happens in the classroom can also be transferred to outside situations within a real world context. The classroom assignment and its end result have moved from the student's notebook to a product on display for public consumption and evaluation. This fact indicates to the student that what he/she does can have more meaning within a wider setting. And because of this, it builds greater confidence levels to continue and in parallel with everyday activities in society." Note:  this classroom assignment [lesson plan] was found to be exemplary and has been included in the national lesson plan library at Digital Wish: http://www.digitalwish.com/dw/digitalwish/view_lesson_plans?id=3402 Other exhibitions for this project: East End Gallery, Houston Institute For Culture, 708-B Telephone Road, Tlaquepaque Plaza, Houston, Texas, January 7 - March 15, 2009: http://www.tomrchambers.com/DA_7_8_RYSS.html 4th annual Carnival of e-Creativity & Change-agents Conclave [2009 CeC & CaC], February 27 to March 1, 2009, Sattal Estate, Bhimtal, Uttarakhand, India: http://www.theaea.org/cec_cac/cec09/index.htm Talento Bilingue de Houston, Houston, Texas, August 3 - October 29, 2009 [Opening: August 7 (Friday), 6-9PM]:   http://www.tomrchambers.com/DA_7_8_RYSS.html   Other student projects as a part of the Technology Applications and "Power Time" processes at Raul Yzaguirre School For Success: http://www.tomrchambers.com/RYSS_TCCC.html Contacts: Tom R. Chambers Teacher, Technology Applications Junior Academy Raul Yzaguirre School For Success Houston, Texas  281-889-9966 chambers.t@tccc-ryss.org http://www.tccc-ryss.org Jose Rodriguez City of Houston Bob Lanier Public Works Building Houston, Texas  Jose.Rodriguez@cityofhouston.net