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Hobbies add new dimension to GRA classes
AUSTINBURG TOWNSHIP — A Lego may be an insignificant child’s toy to many people, and the Stock Market may be a trivial institution to most teen-agers, but to Grand River Academy teachers John Balash and David Scharping, these topics have interested them to the point of sharing their hobbies with students.
Using Legos has become an art form for which Mr. Balash is nationally ranked and has perfected over the past years with students. Mr. Balash, a computer technology teacher and the adviser for one of GRA’s most attended activities, Lego Club, is a Geneva High School graduate of 2001. His love of Legos has been with him for as long as he can remember.
Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, students gather in the computer lab to sift through and construct Lego structures. Over the years, students have assembled various objects such as many different Nintendo characters, large pirate ships, computer controlled cars and even a 1/10th scaled replica of the GRA Victory Bell.
Through a series of events in the Legoland California Master Model Builder Search in 2004, Mr. Balash has earned the prestige of being one of the top Lego builders in the United States. Starting in Washington, D.C., he placed first in a national qualifier and won the opportunity to advance to the finals in Legoland, Calif.
“One of the things I enjoyed in Washington was being interviewed on CNN and having an article written about my experiences in the Washington Post,” said Mr. Balash about the competition in D.C.
He then traveled to participate in the national finals where he had a certain amount of time to construct a Lego structure that involved the theme of Legoland. At the national finals, Mr. Balash received second place for his scene of lumberjacks, making him the number two ranked Lego builder in the United States in 2004.
When Mr. Balash is not busy competing for national titles in the Lego world, he uses his talents to help the community. He has taught three different After School Discovery programs on Lego design throughout the Geneva School District as well as building and then donating a different Lego structure to local libraries every year.
Mr. Scharping, a past student of the Ashtabula schools and a graduate of Ravenna High in 2000, is using his knowledge to teach students about current affairs in the economy. Mr. Scharping, one of GRA’s social studies teachers, has given students the opportunity to track the economy with a hands-on approach. The assignment is a six-week project involving simulated money and the U.S. stock market.
“I gave students $10,000 in mock money to purchase stocks in three different companies of their choosing. The students then track their progress and make a final assessment on their profit or loss in revenue,” said Mr. Scharping.
This is the first year that the economics class has been involved in this type of project.
“My goal is to give my students first hand experience in today’s market and economy,” said Mr. Scharping. “I think the students have done a great job so far and I can tell they have definitely taken an interest in the topic.”
“I have really enjoyed the stock market project,” said Patrick Gilkey, a senior from Dayton. “It has changed my view on current economics and it has made me realize how few people in my generation know about our current economy and the stock market. This project has taught me more about important current issues and events.”
Teachers at GRA, including Mr. Balash and Mr. Scharping, not only teach class information but also share with students their personal interests to help give a balanced education. These teachers help students to find enjoyment in activities and interests outside of the classroom. Mr. Balash and Mr. Scharping hope they have planted the seeds for future engineers and economists, even though they started at GRA with mock money and Legos.
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