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Business in focus at MacArthur

Evening showcase highlights program

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MacArthur High School may date to 1960, but the skills students are learning there are truly 21st Century. That was evident last week at the fourth annual business showcase night.

Hosted by the Business Department on Jan. 15, parents and community members were invited to see various demonstrations and learn what students are doing in a variety of courses, including computer programming, digital media, desktop publishing, sports and entertainment marketing, personal money management and trial law, among others.

“We feel that our students do such an amazing job here,” said Chris Leahy, one of five business teachers at the school, about why the department hosts the annual showcase. About 30 students took part in the event.

Senior Jake Gutowitz, of Wantagh, showed what students are learning in the computer programming courses. He talked to parents about the basic programming skills taught in level 1, and the advanced skills like Java taught in level 2. “For the parents,” he said, “I hope they get to see how much work the kids have put into their projects.”

Gutowitz said the computer programming courses are among them most difficult classes he has ever taken, because of the problem solving required. He is planning to take the Advanced Placement test in May.

Students from the digital media class were demonstrating green screen technology. They invited guests to step onto a portable screen in the hallway, then step into a classroom where their photo was superimposed onto different backgrounds, including Yankee Stadium, a presidential inauguration and a red carpet.

Junior Jared Wolfe has spent much of the year learning how to use green screen technology, and wanted to share that knowledge with others. “I don’t think they know how much can be done with it,” he said.

In the personal money management class, students have been learning financial skills, such as balancing a checkbook. Each student picked a career, and have been simulating that throughout the year, including getting a paycheck, having a car, and paying bills. “It teaches us how to use our money,” Elvin Koc said, “and not just waste it on everything that we see.”

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