Ingalls Shipbuilding Funds Technology Grant Proposal
Ingalls Shipbuilding sent notice that they would fully fund a grant proposal prepared by St. Patrick teacher Jay Lynn. Usually, Principal Matt Buckley and Lynn would attend a ceremony at the Pascagoula based shipyard, but due to the Coronavirus, this will not happen this year.
The project to be funded involves the St. Patrick Drama Guild and focuses on computer-aided design, 3D fabrication, and virtual video production. While some might think that performing arts are limited to paint and costumes, that is not the case today. State of the art technologies produces educational and entertaining performances for viewers.
Students will gain a deeper appreciation for technology and its possibilities in the performing arts through the project. The project will primarily focus on how technology can support the arts in an era of social distancing.
Students will learn computer-aided design in online programs such as Google SketchUp as they design full-scale theatrical sets. Those designs will be transferred to physical reality using a Glowforge Basic laser cutter, which cuts thin materials such as paper, cardboard, and thin plywood. All of those materials are perfect for scale model production. Not only are those scale models valuable for planning and teaching theatrical set design, but they can be combined with chromakey (green screen) video recording technology to act as full-sized sets in a virtual performance environment. Students will use the design models as stand-ins for full-size scenery in a virtual performance (miniature sets combined with full-sized actors).
Students will combine the virtual sets with recorded actions into a finished video using free and open-source video production software. The finished video will be suitable for streaming to virtual audiences.
The funded grant to the school is more than $4,300.
St. Patrick is overjoyed that Ingalls Shipbuilding continues to be a great steward to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and our mission of Catholic education.
Principal, Dr. Matt Buckley, said, “Mr. Lynn is most deserving of the Ingalls STEM Grant – his commitment to his students’ academic successes continues to inspire and impress all of us at St. Patrick. I cannot wait to see him put this project into action here on campus. Thank you to Ingalls Shipbuilding for funding this grant program and providing this opportunity. We are grateful for their support.”