The students will travel to Facebook Headquarters in Menlo Park, California, next spring to join other finalists for two days of workshops and teaching.

Working with FWMSH’s Chief Technology Officer Dr. Doug Roberts and Director of Scientific Presentation Dr. Morgan Rehnberg, the I. M. Terrell team developed a video game designed to demonstrate the challenges of texting and driving. A total of 18 students were divided into teams and used “Scratch,” a programming language developed by MIT to teach the basics of computer science, developed games. The teams were guided by their teachers and by museum staff.

“Without a doubt, the most impressive aspect about this experience was observing how much work had gone on between our group sessions and how engaged the students were,” said Dr. Roberts. “There were several times when I had no idea how a student team was going to deal with a problem and was blown away the next time we met where the students showed off a solution to their problem that they developed on their own time.”

In May, the team of finalists will showcase their Texting and Driving Simulator in a two-day event at Facebook Headquarters. They will participate in a tour of the Facebook campus, workshops, and a “hackathon” with Facebook engineers.

The post I. M. Terrell Students Finalists in Facebook Competition first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Photo courtesy of Ballet Frontier of Texas

Celebrating ten years of performing, Ballet Frontier of Texas is a company that, according to their website, “is dedicated to providing a powerful cultural experience, encompassing an organic mix of artistic quality, young talent and world-class choreography.” Under the leadership of Chung-Lin Tseng, Enrica Tseng, and Lainey Logan, Ballet Frontier produces five ballets a season. This fall, they presented The Firebird, while this spring, they will present A Midsummer Night’s Dream, choreographed by Mr. Tseung. In addition, they will collaborate with dance companies from around the Metroplex, including Ballet Frontier of Texas, Dallas Black Dance Theatre: Encore, and Dark Circles Contemporary Dance for Director’s Choice, featuring dances from each company. This is immediately followed by the Youth Dance Festival, showcasing young performers from around North Texas.

Working with their affiliated ballet school, the Ballet Center of Fort Worth, Ballet Frontier’s production of The Nutcracker runs from November 16 through November 18 at the Will Rogers’ Auditorium, before going on the road, with performances in Granbury and Waco, the latter with the accompaniment of the Waco Symphony Orchestra. Ballet Frontier’s Artistic Advisor Enrica Tseng explains that by opening the weekend before Thanksgiving, Ballet Frontier gets to “open the box,” so to speak, of the holiday season.

Photo courtesy of Ballet Frontier of Texas

Guest dancers for this year’s production of The Nutcracker include Kathryn Boren and Nathan Vendt of the American Ballet Theater, Julia Erickson of the Pittsburg Ballet Theater, and Marlen Alimanov, formerly of the Texas Ballet Theater. These professionals, along with Ballet Frontier’s company, offer the participating students from the Ballet Center of Fort Worth valuable experience and insight into the world of professional dance.

Photo courtesy of Ballet Frontier of Texas

Additionally, Ballet Frontier is again teaming up with Imagination Celebration Fort Worth to present an abridged version of The Nutcracker to 2500 students from Fort Worth ISD. In its fifth year, this program reaches across socioeconomic divides to present a morning of dazzling costumes, beautiful sets, and world-class choreography. The students get to see both professional dancers and their peers onstage, sparking creativity and intellectual growth.

Tickets for The Nutcracker are going fast and may be purchased here. Enjoy this magical holiday tradition with your family, and create memories that will last for a lifetime!

The post Opening the Box of the Nutcracker first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.