Doing the right thing
Company loans video equipment to hospitalized MHS student
Staff reporter
Local and area educators and a Topeka-based company are working together for Ashley Billbe to participate in classes at Marion High School.
Billbe is recovering at Via Christi Regional Medical Center, St. Francis Campus, Wichita, from a critical car accident that occurred in May.
The accident occurred on U.S.-50 when the van she was riding was rear-ended by a semi-truck.
The chain-reaction accident claimed the lives of her mother Brandi Billbe, and friend Lori Leeders.
Through the efforts of MHS Principal Ken Arnhold, TEEN (Technology Excellence in Education Network) Director Sharon Tatge, and the efforts of a Topeka-based technology products distributor, Billbe is able to "attend" three classes through the Internet and fiber optic connections.
Cytec Media Systems of Topeka was contracted by TEEN to install specialized video equipment for each of the schools in the network, MHS being one of them.
Tatge wrote a grant this past summer and received five units to be located in each of the five TEEN school districts.
"With this equipment, a class can hook-up to watch a special event or use for interactive projects," Tatge said.
The device is a camera that televises images through a communications line and into a television.
"Cytek Media Systems was installing the equipment and technician Brian Retzleff picked up on it (Ashley's situation) right away," Tatge said.
Retzleff worked out the details with the school and hospital. Small, portable video equipment was installed at MHS and the hospital.
An experiment for the media company meant free use of equipment for Billbe and the high school.
"I have four children of my own
"It certainly had the potential to happen," Jones said, "but it had to have all the players cooperating to work."
To Jones' knowledge, this is the first time this equipment has been used for this type of situation.
"It wouldn't have occurred two years ago," Jones said. "It would have been cost prohibitive."
Jones' company, in operation since 1993, primarily provides equipment to schools for educational purposes.
"The equipment that we sell is the usual audio-visual equipment for classrooms," Jones said, but he added a trend is occurring.
"We're doing a lot of video conferencing," Jones said. With budget cuts and teacher shortages, especially in rural areas, instruction over a video network is becoming more popular.
Ahead of the times, Marion has participated in TEEN with Hillsboro, Peabody, Centre, and Herington school districts since 1992 when TEEN was formed.
Billbe regularly attends creative writing, English, and American history classes at MHS via video equipment and Internet wizardry.
There is a camera at the hospital to enable students and teachers to see and hear Billbe and a camera in the classroom so Billbe can interact with the class.
The portable equipment at the school is on a cart, and is wheeled to classrooms as needed.
The loaned equipment is smaller than the equipment the schools will receive, Tatge said, for ease of moving.
"The hospital was reluctant at first," said Arnhold. "They were concerned about it interfering with their systems."
Persistence paid off. According to Tatge, Arnhold convinced the hospital this would work and the hospital finally conceded.
Janet Killough, Billbe's creative writing and English teacher, said Billbe began taking a creative writing class at the beginning of the school year.
"Her dad, brother, or Mr. Arnhold would transport materials back and forth to Ashley," Killough said. It was working but not working as well as it could.
Arnhold said before the video equipment was installed, Billbe e-mailed homework to teachers.
"The school gave her a laptop to use," Arnhold said. "That way we didn't always have to rely on a courier service."
School secretary Pat Ash sends the daily announcements to Billbe and included her vote for homecoming king and queen.
"We try to include her as much as possible," Arnhold said.
Inclusion is good medicine. Hospital personnel told Arnhold since Billbe has been participating and interacting with classes, her medical condition has improved.
Another operation was performed Tuesday on Billbe. As a result of the accident, she suffered internal injuries that required surgeries to repair the damage. The injuries have now healed and a final surgery was performed.
When Billbe leaves the hospital, the video equipment will follow her home.
"We're working with SBC right now to obtain sufficient bandwidth (at her home)," Tatge said.
Billbe can use the equipment until she is able to return full-time to school.
"She is a very determined young lady," Killough said.
It was not known when Billbe will be able to return home but when she does, the support will continue.
"To me this is a no-brainer," said Jones. "It's good use of the equipment and we wouldn't have it any other way."
