Curriculum

Below is an overview of the TJ Computer Magnet curriculum (click on the image for a larger view).

Level I: Introductory/Probationary

All incoming 9th graders will take the yearlong Intro to the Computer Magnet 1&2 course, which will provide them with a project-based overview of the three major strands of the computer magnet.

Students are officially accepted into the TJ Computer Magnet upon successful completion of the introductory level, and are now asked to choose a major strand of study.

Level II: Foundations

There are three major strands of study in the Computer Magnet:
• Communications Central (journalism, photojournalism, videography)
• 3-D & Web Design (3-D Animation & Web Applications)
• Software Engineering (Solution Design)
At Level II, students must take two courses from the foundations level: one must be from the student’s major strand of study. The other can also be from that same major, or the student may experiment with other areas. For example, a Communications Central major may take Photojournalism, but may also be interested in taking Web Applications.
Students must complete both classes with a C or better grade in each class to remain in good standing.

Level III: Pathways

As with Level II, students must take at least one level III course in their major strand of study, as well as a second course. However, that second course can be either a level III or a level II course. For example, a Software Engineering major would be required to take Solution Design 3&4, but may choose to go back and experience the level II Journalism 1&2 course, as well.

Level IV: Capstone

Once again, students are required to take two courses at level IV. One must be the capstone course for their major, and the second can be any level II or III course of their choosing.

Computer Magnet Certificate

In order to earn a Computer Magnet Graduation Certificate, a student must complete all four levels of Magnet courses in at least one major area of study (color-coded above); more than one major is possible and encouraged.

Feature Article

Confessions of a Female Computer Geek

A widget-loving, html-coding student spills all.
by Christina Danek
Even though I rarely wear polo shirts, and I admittedly don’t own a pocket protector, AND I only speak in binary on weekends, I am undeniably a computer geek. I’m also a female, and thus I possess a combination of traits that defies many stereotypes of womankind’s place in society.
While it is true that men dominate the field of information technology (an estimated 76% of IT-related jobs in the US are held by men according to the National Center for Women and Information Technology), there is no viable reason why they should. Speaking from nearly four years of experience in the areas of computer programming, animation and web design, I’m convinced that women can be just as successful in this arena as men. As one of four senior girls in the Computer Magnet, I can honestly combat every claim against women in technology.
Claim number one: Being good with computers is geeky. The common term “computer geek” has led our society to associate one who is handy with a computer to being a geek; consequently many women try to avoid this label by steering clear of computers. But if one must be a geek to know how to intelligently operate technology, then let’s embrace the geekiness. Programming is cool, people. Being able to command a machine capable of processing around 100 million instructions per second to do whatever I want—that is cool. Heck, that is power.
I first realized I was becoming a computer geek around my sophomore year of high school when I accidentally hacked into the United States Homeland Security webpage and learned our grimmest national secrets. Not really. Actually, it happened one day when my home computer crashed, and my older brother (the proud owner of a Western Digital USB 2.0 compatible, 7200 rpm 250 Gigabyte external hard drive—enough said) explained to me that my 1.67 Gigahertz dual processor wasn’t fast enough, the hard drive wasn’t efficiently partitioned, and I could use a few extra gig of RAM. And I knew exactly what he was talking about. And I was hurt.
Claim two: computers are boring. Two weeks into my first animation class, I was working on a 3-D movie. Six months into my first programming class, I was making computer games. A year later, I had designed and created my own website online complete with animation and blogging capabilities. You get the picture.
Claim three: computers are masculine. This is equivalent to saying that driving a car, playing sports, and voting are masculine. Men may have been the first to do these things, but that’s ancient history; today, women belong just as much. Why shouldn’t women learn the language of computing technology that the rest of the technological world is speaking? I’m proud of the fact that I can sit down at a computer and, within an hour or two, turn a blank page into a game, a movie, or even a website.
Despite all the negative hype about geeks, I like to wear my geek status with pride. You know those people who hang out at stores like. Best Buy dressed in white shirts and ties, who discourse on network modems and surge protectors? They know everything, they are the Geek Squad, and they are what I aspire to become. The fashion is a bonus.
So, if knowing how to effectively use the most powerful technology available to the world is being a geek, then yes, I am. I’m not giving up hope that some day, html coding will be as popular as shopping, cascading style sheets will be as fashionable as new shoes, and women will be as common in the technological field as missing html image tags on websites.
To read this article in binary, click here.

Alumni Spotlight

Alex Hannum (2003)

Current Place of Employment: CBS Northern Colorado 5
City: Fort Collins, Colorado
Email: alexhannum@noco5.com
Web Site: http://noco5.com
Class of 2003
Computer Magnet Major: Communications Central
Undergraduate School(s) Attended: CSU
Undergraduate Degree In: Technical Journalism/Political Science
Description of Current Position: Reporter and producer for Northern Colorado’s only dedicated television station. Produce nightly 10 pm newscast, and file several reporter packages a day.
Previous Place(s) of Employment: KGWN-TV
Description of Previous Position(s): Lead reporter/fill-in-anchor.