Oct. 25 — Designing a puzzle of technology

Student receives recognition for Aspirations in Computing

Chris Albert / of the Herald

What is exciting about designing a Web site for Bonney Lake High School senior Melinda Mudd is they are like putting together a puzzle.

“There’s just something about it,” she said.

There are many pieces that need to come together to form the finished product, Mudd said.

Recently, her interest in Web design lead to a selection as one of eight area students to recieve the 2007 National Center for Women and Information Technology Award for Aspirations in Computing.

This month, she participated in a taped interview that highlights her computer related experiences. The video will be shown at an awards ceremony on Nov. 7 at the University of Washington. Mudd will receive an engraved plaque for herself and one for the high school along with a $500 cash prize. The money will help with college, she said.

Mudd’s Computer Information Technology teacher Shannon Thissen nominated Mudd for the award and recognizes her as making strides for women in technology.

“I’m pretty excited,” Thissen said. “I think it’s a good role for her. She’s very talented and I’m glad she found it challenging enough for her.”

Thissen has been invited by Mudd to receive the school’s award as her inspirational teacher.

When students like Mudd show excitement for computers, Thissen said, the interest spreads to other young women who may not have even thought about education or career paths in technology.

“It really encourages young women, like myself, to go after that path,” Mudd said.

Mudd’s interest in computers took flight when she took a course from Thissen in Web design. There, she was able to use Dreamweaver to create a variety of Web sites.

She created a fictional Web site that followed the journey of a character raising money for the American Heart Association. It included journals, photos and maps of the character’s fundrasing endeavors. The Web site was good enough for a third place finish in Web design in last year’s Pierce County Technology Fair.

Currently, Mudd is using her Web design skills to create a Web site for her DECA project in a business course she is taking.

“One of the things she has done is take it beyond my class,” Thissen said.

Mudd hopes to attend college with strong graphic design or Web design programs.

“I’ve only applied to colleges that have graphic design or Web design programs,” she said.

Although she has learned a lot since her first computer class, she is ready to learn more and sees endless possibilities with what she’ll be able to do with her growing design skills.

“There’s still a lot of stuff I haven’t learned yet,” Mudd said.

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To view taped interview

To view Melinda Mudd’s videotaped interview that will be shown during the awards ceremony on Nov. 7 at the University of Washington go to www.ncwit.org/what.awards.comp.html.