Fayette teen honored

Sandy Creek High School rising senior Connor McCracken, a cadet in the school’s Air Force Junior ROTC program, had a memorable moment sharing the stage with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford, as he introduced the general at the annual Honor Guard Gala in Washington, D.C.

McCracken received the TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) Honor Guard Military Award, which honors military members and contractors who lost their lives in service and recognizes the families they left behind.

Connor — the son of Army Col. David McCracken, who died in 2011 — said he knew his dad was smiling down on him that evening as he introduced the general and shared the stage with him as he accepted his award.

Grant lets Meadowcreek grow robotics program

Meadowcreek High School has been awarded a $40,000 grant from the national STEM advocacy nonprofit FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).

The FIRST STEM Equity Community Innovation Grant is to increase access for underrepresented and underserved students to STEM (science, technology, education and math) fields.

It will help Meadowcreek expand its robotics and computational thinking program, an initiative to align robotics, mechatronics and coding instruction through FIRST LEGO League Robotic Competition teams.

The program will expand the Colts to Mustangs program where student interns mentor elementary and middle school First LEGO League teams.

Meadowcreek’s program will start FIRST LEGO League Jr. teams for Ferguson, Graves, Lilburn, Meadowcreek, Nesbit and Rockbridge elementary schools.

Teachers teach each other tech lessons

About 100 teachers from Fayette and the metro Atlanta area spent one of their few remaining days of summer break July 23 attending the third annual EdCampFayette hosted by Sara Harp Minter Elementary and organized by the school system’s instructional technology department.

EdCamp attendees post online the topics they want to know more about, and those who have the knowledge volunteer to give presentations. Some topics included Getting Googlie with Blackboard; Learn to Make Your Own Apps for Free, No Coding Needed; No Fuss Virtual Realty; and Coding Digitally and with Toys.

Donors provided breakfast and lunch to participants.

Kate Crawford, Angie Foerster, Lisa Dobbs, Matt Jackson and Jennifer Kaiser of the Fayette County Schools Instructional Technology Department organized the event.