Four Chapel Hill High School student clubs teamed up to present a virtual reality (VR) showcase May 12, allowing students to try on 360-degree camera headsets and edit images and video footage from the cameras.
The clubs that organized this event were the Brothers of Unity, FemSTEM, Game Art Design and the Tiger Tech Squad VR Support Team. Junior Nicole Bell founded the FemSTEM club this year to “create an environment in which I and others would feel comfortable to explore STEM fields,” she said.
As a club, FemSTEM orchestrated other events throughout the year, such as a tour of NC State’s Women in Science & Engineering program. FemSTEM member and junior Jennifer Pittman said the club has allowed her to “spark an interest in VR and game design. My favorite part of the showcase was getting to see that spark ignite in others.”
The showcase was held at the Century Center in Carrboro from 12:30 to 4 p.m. with the equipment provided by the Town of Carrboro. The event was open to the public, allowing for Chapel Hill and Carrboro residents and students to come and go from the event throughout the day.
Chapel Hill High’s computer engineering and network engineering instructor Jennifer Walker was the staff sponsor for the showcase, as well as for the FemSTEM club. Walker helped to facilitate meetings and update students throughout the planning process.
“She is practically an angel. We could not have executed the showcase like we did without her,” Bell said. Bell recalled that it was Walker who first brought the idea of the showcase to the members of FemSTEM.
Bell said the goal of the event was to give both students and community members an opportunity to use the advanced equipment and to give Chapel Hill High School students a platform to demonstrate what they have been working on all year.
“I hope that other students find something they are interested in and are given the tools to pursue that,” Bell said.
