5th Grader to BOE: Technology Connects Students to the World

Pierce Stephan knows a thing or two about technology.

In fact, there's a good chance the fifth grader is better versed in gigabytes and visual effects than most of the adults who were with him at Wednesday night's public hearing in Durham, where he just happened to be the only student to get in front of the microphone to talk about next year's $36 million budget proposal.

"For some time, me and my friends have had a concern about getting money for technology. In our class, technology has helped us a lot," Pierce told the Board of Education.

The ten-year-old spent about 90 seconds talking about technology and the impact it's had on his classroom at Memorial Middle School.

"It helps us connect with lots of people around the world, and we don't just get stuck in Durham and Middlefield, Connecticut," he said to a few laughs and a few seconds later, a round of applause.

It turns out the moment had been on Pierce's mind for a while, encouraged by his mom to share his feelings of technology with the board even as they discussed topics he didn't fully understand.

"My brother says that I shake my leg a lot when I'm nervous. I shook my leg a lot when I was up there," Pierce admitted to Patch on Friday. 

He was a lot less nervous and whole lot more excited earlier this year when his class returned from a field trip to find that a brand new Smart Board had been installed in his classroom. "I've never seen a class so excited about something school related," he said.

Like many young kids these days, technology seems to come easy to Pierce. It all started when he was about six years old and went on the internet to figure out how to make computer generated puppets.

Fast forward a few years and he's already the chief executive officer, producer and director for HawkStudios, a production company that he started with his friends.

"My biggest hobby is I'm a film-maker," he said, while reaching into his pocket for one of his business cards.

"My mom made them for me," he said.

"Right now me and my friends are working on a film called MetalMan which is based off of this character my friend made for a project at school, using technology," Pierce said.

The project will be shot around Durham, according to Pierce, including in his basement where he spends time creating props with help from his dad.

In school, it is often the adults who take their cue from Pierce. He recently trained teachers how to use Google Drive, a web-based storage program that allows teachers and students to share information wherever there is an internet connection. "It was a lot of fun. [Technology] is part of the reason that school is exciting," he said.
 
In his spare time, Pierce plays hockey for the Whalers Youth Hockey Association. He also likes to play video games and cook for his family, which includes an older brother and two younger sisters.

"My favorite food is sushi but I can't really make that at home because it always comes out to dry," he said.