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Fremd High School Students Take Technology to the Capitol

28 April 1999

Fremd High School Students Take Technology to the Capitol

  Students help convince legislators that technology belongs in the schools

    SPRINGFIELD, Ill., April 27 -- Not all teenagers are hanging
out at the local mall -- some are designing future automobiles and
sophisticated robots.  Three students from William Fremd High School in
Palatine will showcase their technical knowledge at the state capitol in
Springfield, on Wednesday, April 28.
    With the encouragement of their applied technology teacher, John Malecki,
seniors Mike Marando, Asher Yap and Mason Jobin are joining students from 140
Illinois schools to participate in the TECH 2000/AT&T Information Age
demonstration.  The goal is to convince legislators that technology plays a
key role in Illinois students' education.
    "We want to get the message out that every Illinois student should have
access to modern technology resources," explained Malecki.
    The Fremd team is exhibiting two automobile designs -- the "Dodge Assault"
and the "Revolution" -- which both won first-place honors in the
DaimlerChrysler "Build Your Dream Vehicle" competition, in 1996 and 1998
respectively.  In addition, the students will display a model of a sailboat
and a robotic design.
    The goal of the TECH 2000 program is to build a statewide network of
resources that schools can use to start or expand classroom technology.  The
program is sponsored by Gov. George Ryan, Lt. Gov. Corrine Wood and several
legislative leaders, and is supported by numerous educational and business
organizations.