Hamilton, Ohio – Never stop learning.
Nearly 30 people spread over two sessions – almost all senior citizens – spent time last week in the newly refurbished Fitton Center technology suite honing news skills from the Hamilton Journal-News.
“The technology space at the Fitton was the perfect fit for us to host our event with subscribers and the community,” said Allison Swanson, Cox First Media Community Relations and Marketing Manager. “The center offered a known and accessible location in the community and made it easy for us to connect to Wi-Fi and use tools like the projector and iPads.”
Swanson gave an overview of the digital tools the paper offers, but she and Journal-News staffers - including publisher Suanne Klopfenstein and editor Mandy Gambrell – spent most of the session working one-on-one with guests to help them access what they wanted to find.
The hour-long sessions at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 1, were the first formal uses for the technology suite since it reopened earlier this spring.
They won’t be the last.
Starting June 5, The Fitton Center renews its long-standing partnership with Cincinnati-based SOS Art via a new – and free - summer class in comic book art. Comics for Change: A Digital Drawing Class - open to ages 10 to 14 - runs weekly at 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Mondays through Aug. 7.
“This class is a little bit different,” said Kate Rowekamp, Fitton Center Director of Education. “The ones we’ve done in the past have been six weeks; the one we’re doing now is 10 weeks. This course will also be different in that we’re creating digital art with SOS for the first time.
“SOS provides the peace and justice component of the curriculum and we address that, along with teaching the different art techniques. Digital drawing is similar to pencil or pen drawing, but there are some different tools and techniques to learn, too. The technology is different.”
Next, Digital Art Sumer Camp runs 1 to 4 p.m. June 26 to 30 for ages 12 to 16. Additional information and registration is available here. (For more information about the entire summer camp season, click here.)
“We are grateful for the iPads and excited to originate this camp,” Rowekamp said. “This is an important way for us to expand and evolve how we serve our community. With so many tech-savvy students – and that number growing every year – we are glad to offer the space and the tools to learn traditional creative techniques with modern methods and for our students to create their artwork in new ways.”
“We are thankful for the Fitton’s commitment to being a community partner and to continuing education for all in our community,” Swanson said. “The newly donated iPads were used by our team to teach about navigating news online, but technology in our lives today is necessary for healthcare, banking, and more. We look forward to seeing how the Fitton’s use of the iPads and creative art fosters our community’s education in tech.”
The Fitton Center for Creative Arts is located at 101 S. Monument Avenue on the Riverfront in downtown Hamilton, Ohio.
Building Community Excellence through the Arts and Culture
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