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Paul Duke STEM student Teams Up with KSU & Curiosity Lab to Advance V2X Technology

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KSU Research Assistant Professor Billy Kihei (far right) prepares to test V2X technology at Curiosity Lab with local high school and KSU students, including Paul Duke STEM senior Jordan McEntyre (far left)

Last year, Curiosity Lab and Kennesaw State University (KSU) entered a strategic partnership to advance research in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology applications. Led by KSU assistant professor of computer engineering Billy Kihei, the first collaboration focused on open-source Dedicated Short-Range Communications Units (DSRC).

Nicknamed the “Owl Box,” these DSRC units can track data such as how fast vehicles are moving, roadway specifications, GPS data and much more, creating opportunities for startups, entrepreneurs, and municipalities/road authorities to test and explore emerging V2X technologies.

KSU selected Curiosity Lab as one of its primary test locations for the Owl Boxes due to the Lab’s autonomous vehicle test track and commitment to supporting and facilitating innovation.

While Dr. Kihei’s research team has primarily included KSU undergraduate students over the last year, Curiosity Lab also connected a Paul Duke STEM High School student with Dr. Kihei. Paul Duke is Curiosity Lab’s STEM partner and is just a mile from the living lab.

Last year, at the start of her senior year of high school, Jordan McEntyre started working with Dr.Kihei. Jordan was taking an AP Research course and reached out to Curiosity Lab to find a research mentor as part of her coursework. Curiosity Lab connected her with Dr. Kihei, who served as her mentor in V2X technology.

Dr. Kihei sent Jordan an Owl Box to configure and tasked her with writing applications for the Owl Box to solve a specific problem. After months of development, Dr. Kihei and Jordan then took her Owl Box on the road at Curiosity Lab to test her applications in a real-world environment. 

“The Owl Boxes allowed me to work with open source technology and make a functioning product out of it, which is an extremely useful experience to have,” said Jordan. “Field testing at Curiosity Lab proved that my program works, but certain factors that came up while testing in this environment gave me ideas to improve my program. I would love to implement those ideas and test it again in a real-world environment.”

Dr. Kihei applauded Jordan’s work as she learned the values of patience and planning.

“It was a long and challenging process for Jordan working with open source technology, but it is important for researchers to be exposed to and work through those types of real-world problems,” said Dr. Kihei. “For example, while a researcher may have an idea to implement, your technology doesn’t always play nicely. It’s not always straightforward.”

Dr. Kihei and Jordan plan to publish a paper together soon, and Jordan plans to start at KSU this year as a computer science major, concentrating on cybersecurity and software development.

“It is crucial for today’s technology leaders to support the education of the next generation of innovators,” said Betsy Plattenburg, executive director of Curiosity Lab. “Through our partnership with Paul Duke, Curiosity Lab is committed to providing Peachtree Corners’ youth with exposure to real world testing of intelligent mobility and smart city technology.”

Source: Curiosity Corner Newsletter

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Education

Japanese Traditions Celebrated at ICAGeorgia

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Young student pounding sticky rice with a large wooden mallet at an outdoor Japanese new year event

Since the opening of the International Charter Academy of Georgia (ICAGeorgia) in 2018, their students have been immersed in Japanese language and culture, including starting each new year (osho-gatsu) — Japan’s most important holiday — with two traditional rituals: Kakizome (New Year Japanese calligraphy) and Mochitsuki (New Year rice pounding).

This year, the students at the K-6 dual-language school in Peachtree Corners, gathered in the gym to practice and demonstrate their growing calligraphy skills and again outdoors a couple of weeks later for the physical fun of mochitsuki.

Kakizome

Literally translated as “first writing,” kakizome is a form of artistic calligraphy of the Japanese language that’s done at the start of each year to express hopes and positive wishes for the year ahead. Using traditional calligraphy brushes and ink, and often expressed through poetry, New Year’s resolutions or an auspicious word, kakizome is a special time to clear your mind and focus on the brush strokes.

According to a press release from the school, for ICAGeorgia’s kakizome event, each student, including the youngest kindergartners, used a traditional brush (ふで) and ink (すみ) to write a Japanese word of their choice — for example, “新年 (new year)” “元日 (New Years Day)” or “もち (mochi).”And, because 2025 is the Year of the Snake in the lunar calendar, 巳 (snake) was included in the word selection.

Mochitsuki

“In Japan, people make ‘mochi’ or pounded rice to celebrate the New Year,” shared Junko Jones, CFO of ICAGeorgia. “Mochi is sticky, so people eat it to help them ‘stick’ with their goals for the year — and they do it with family, friends and people in the community who they would like to ‘stick’ together [with]. Mochi can also be used as a decoration for New Year’s celebrations.”

Pounding the sticky rice into mochi with a wooden mallet is hard work, but the celebration is also one of Japan’s most fun (and popular) traditions.

For the school’s mochitsuki event, each student had an opportunity to pound and taste the mochi rice. All of the ingredients were donated by ICAGeorgia parents, and the mochi rice was cooked by ICAGeorgia parent volunteers on the day of the event — making it true school community celebration.

After pounding the rice, students, staff and volunteers enjoyed delicious rice cakes (omochi) together, welcoming the new year and looking forward to a happy and successful 2025.

About ICAGeorgia

The International Charter Academy of Georgia offers a dual language immersion program in English and Japanese, allowing students to learn both languages through a variety of subjects, including math, science, social studies, art, music and physical education. Japanese instruction is based on the Japanese Ministry of Education curriculum, and teachers collaborate across departments.

The school’s mission is “to broaden the horizons of students in Georgia so that they may become global citizens who promote peace throughout the world.” This is achieved not only through language learning, but also through cultural activities. But the best way to promote peace and understanding is through interactions among the students themselves, who make up an extremely diverse community.

For more information, visit internationalcharteracademy.org.

Photos courtesy of ICAGeorgia.

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Education

McBath Slams Proposed Tax on HOPE Scholarship

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Rep. McBath, of Georgia's 6th District, at a podium speaking to an audience. A man and woman stand behind her, along with an American flag.

Tens of thousands of Georgia families could potentially be impacted by a new national Republican proposal to tax state scholarship program.

Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA) of Georgia’s sixth district, is slamming national Republicans for their proposal to increase taxes on students and families in Georgia.

document circulating from the GOP outlines revenue-generating strategies, among them a new tax on scholarship dollars that would include Georgia’s hallmark HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship programs.

“National Republicans are attempting to raise taxes on Georgia families,” said McBath. “The HOPE program is a beacon of light for young people who want to go to college and achieve their dreams.

“For decades, students in Georgia have known that if you worked hard in school and got good grades, the state would help you get through college and start a career. This new tax would threaten the financial security of Georgia’s families and undercut the hopes and dreams of thousands of students. I am horrified at this attempt — families in Georgia deserve better.”

About the HOPE Scholarship

During the 2023-2024 academic year, 187,437 students in Georgia received almost a billion dollars in scholarships and grants through the HOPE Program alone.

All of this award money, along with any other scholarships or grants that a student had earned, would now be considered taxable income if this proposal by Republicans were to become law.

The Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) Program launched in 1993 and has since provided more than $15 billion to more than 2.1 million students in financial assistance for educational programs after high school.

For more information, visit mcbath.house.gov.

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Education

ICAGeorgia Adds Cross Country and Track Programs

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A group of young cross country track students in blue shirts standing with their coach in front of a school building.

The 2024-2025 school year has brought exciting extracurricular additions to the International Charter Academy of Georgia (ICAGeorgia), with the launch of new cross country and track programs.

Intended for upper-elementary and middle school students in grades 4-6, the new programs were started by Coach Shawn Nix, who joined the ICAGeorgia staff this fall. She comes to the school with 17 years of teaching experience in the Gwinnett County School System and 13 years of coaching experience. She was named Gwinnett County Coach of the Year twice during her tenure there.

Nix said that her goal in creating the cross country and track programs at ICAGeorgia was to “give students an introduction to cross country, teach them the value of teamwork and cultivate the future generation of runners.”

Young cross country runner in a blue shirt running on a dirt trail in a wooded area.
photo courtesy of ICAGeorgia

“The parents are thrilled about the addition of the cross country program,” she added. “They’ve expressed their excitement to me, and they are at practice and meets supporting the athletes.” 

Cross country

Twenty-three academy students signed up for cross country this year, excited to be part of the inaugural team.

The season began on September 3 with the school’s first meet at Legacy Park in Decatur, where students competed in the one-mile dash against 210 other athletes from Atlanta area-schools.

Three of the school’s young athlete’s placed, with one sixth grader taking third in the girls division; another sixth grade student placing 24th in the boys division and one fourth grader placing 16th in the boys division.

Group of young track cross country students in blue shirts outside at an event.
photo courtesy of ICAGeorgia

They recently wrapped up the season on November 13 with a meet held at Midtown High School.

Though the season was short — most meets had already closed their entries by late August, and one meet was cancelled due to Hurricane Helene — the ICAGeorgia team was able to get in two good competitions and a lot of practice sessions.

Track season

According to Coach Nix, some students that were interested in cross country weren’t able to sign up for the team in time, but they’ve said they will be coming out for track in the spring. She’s expecting at least 20 students to join the team.

Group of young track students in red shirts, indoors in their gym space with their coach.
photo courtesy of ICAGeorgia

Track season begins in February, and the opening meet is scheduled for March 8at Lanier High School in Sugar Hill.

Upcoming track meets will feature the following events: long jump, triple jump, high jump, shot put, disc throw, 3200m, 1600m, 800m, 400m and 4×100, 400 and 800m relays.

Future plans

Following the success of the new cross country and track programs, Coach Nix shared that ICAGeorgia plans to offer more after-school sports in the near future.

Young students in a parking lot practicing for track events and doing PE.
photo courtesy of ICAGeorgia

“The sports we add will be gauged by an interest survey, keeping in mind the facilities we have,” she said. “But we would love to add basketball and soccer.”

For more about ICAGeorgia, visit them at internationalcharteracademy.org.

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