Andrew Fogel floated above his Carpenter Avenue ElementarySchool classroom floor in a lotus position Thursday.
He's no magician, though.
Rather, he's an eager 8-year-old Van Nuys student whose imagewas projected on a computer screen as the result of special effectscreated at the school's new CBS Media Arts Center.
"Every time you learn something, your brain gets a littlewrinkle," he said. "I plan to use the equipment until my brain haslots of wrinkles."
Inside the center, the Los Angeles Unified School Districtelementary students have access to a blend of fine arts andtechnology tools via a bank of 15 computers, a video camera, ascanner, printers and instruction kits.
The center, which received more than $100,000 from CBS StudioCenter and the Laurel Promenade Shopping Center, got its start fromMichael Klausman, CBS center president.
CBS wanted to expand nearly two years ago, but like otherbusinesses that have development projects exceeding $500,000, it hadto pay the city's Arts Development fee. In theory, there were threechoices: a special arts fund, artistic services or cultural amenitieslike exhibitions or performance space.
"After I learned about the arts fee and how it was to be used, Iwasn't that impressed with the options," Klausman said.
Searching for another option, Klausman asked members of Parentsfor Carpenter if they could design an arts program that would helpCBS fulfill its fee obligation.
"The parents were excited about the idea and I gave them somesuggestions for a program that would include video or film," he said."They took it from there."
The program has caught on with kindergartners to sixth-graderswho are developing stories and illustrating them with computergraphics and video, said Valerie Olenick, center coordinator andcurriculum designer.
Students will soon learn how to add voice, text and animation totheir storylines, she added.
"But the first thing they have to have is a story in mind.Technology is wonderful and interesting, but our brains is whereeverything begins," Olenick said. "Children always have stories totell. You just have to give them the freedom to expressthemselves."
Meanwhile, in another section of the room, students can testtheir filmmaking ability by shooting and editing videotape. Or theycan jump to another section of the room to be linked to the Internet.
The remaining computers will be hooked to the Internet by fall,along with computer video-conferencing. Students also will beadvised on how to develop story outlines and will learn about moldingmaterials to make figures for their projects, she said.
"This media center is designed to take our children into the21st century," said Joan Marks, principal. "The media center istotal arts, it's not just computers."
David Perkins, an 11-year-old Studio City resident, noted thebenefits of the center as he added another segment to his pictureoutline of his creation: an immortal creature that attacks citiesfrom Honolulu to Trenton, Ohio.
"I think this will help the younger kids with their writing andcomputer skills," he said.
Storytelling comes easy for Amanda Kast, a 9-year-old StudioCity resident. The tale of the "Mouse who Liked to Paint," rolledoff her lips as she explained the plot while pointing to the computergraphics she created.
"I like to tell stories," she said. "I can look at the treesand see, maybe, a dinosaur and imagine what he would do if he wasalive."
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