Award-Winning NHS Technology Club One-Of-A-Kind In Region

By Larissa Lytwyn

Newtown High School Technology Club member Adam Berlingeri never thought his six-in-a-half-minute short film The Cure for Love, a meditation on the all-too-universal theme of unrequited love, would ultimately propel the 30-member club to a whole new level of recognition.

The 17-year-old senior produced the film with his brother Nathaniel during his sophomore year.

“It was based on a poem I wrote,” Adam said.

The Cure for Love was recently recognized by the National Television Academy, the same organization that awards the Emmys, for student excellence in technical achievement.

“I first found out about the academy’s student program through a friend’s faxing the information to me,” said Technology Club president Edward Wolf. “We submitted entries for many of the categories, including arts and entertainment, sports, education, and community.”

Entries made by Tim Duffy, Paul Murphy, Matti Toikka, Dan Furphy, Jon Russell, and Zach Silver, as well as Edward, all received honorable mention.

“This is definitely something the club will try to participate in every year from now on,” Edward said.

Advisor Richard Novia, the security advisor for the Board of Education, said he began the club nine years ago when he got together two students who possessed a passion for technology.

“It all took off from there,” he said.

He explained how each Technology Club member had his or her own unique niche.

“Take one of our students, Greg Jorman,” he said. “Greg is brilliant with web design.”

Greg maintains Newtown High School’s website.

Technology Club members, Mr Novia continued, have also played instrumental roles in improving the school’s security system as well as helped streamline its technological infrastructure, working as a support group to the school’s adult technology department.

In the past four years, club members have laid out about five miles of wiring that allows them to videotape and broadcast a variety of school events, including athletic competitions and graduation ceremonies.

The club also runs the district’s public access Channel 17 and members carefully evaluate for appropriateness any songs that play on the channel’s sound system.

“No one in Technology Club belongs to a particular ‘group,’ like the ‘drama’ people or the band,” explained member Ian Armitage. Some members, such as Adam, have a passion for filmmaking, while others, such as Ian, love music.

“It’s really all based on a level of trust,” Mr Novia said. “In all my years with this club, not one member has violated that trust.”

While many school districts, he continued, are concerned about student’s level of technological access, Mr Novia stated that allowing them to develop their passion under a modicum of faculty supervision was beneficial to the overall learning process.

“We are really unique in that way,” he said.

In addition, the Technology Club is entirely self-supported, largely through private individual or business donations.

Edward said that the club has also produced some revenue by selling copies of graduation ceremonies and other events.

“Everything we make goes right back in to the club,” he said.

The Technology Club received its glass trophy during Newtown High School’s senior awards ceremony on May 19.

For more information on the Technology Club, visit www.nhstech.org.