A round black device stares down at students from the ceilings of classrooms that recently received Eno boards. Up close, the device, which is five inches in diameter, is reflective and a small orange light glows from the center. Some have speculated that it helps put projections onto the new Eno boards or monitors classroom activity.
“I didn’t really notice it until my classmate pointed it out to me,” Junior Benjamin Lu said. “It looked a lot like a security camera from the mall so we assumed it was one.”
Students can put their minds at ease, because the device, a receiver called an infrared puck, comes paired with a voice lifter and the new speakers installed in the classrooms. Along with the Eno boards, the purpose of these new installments is to help teachers make classes more engaging and interesting.
“The voice lift sends a wireless signal to the pod, which in turn goes out the speakers,” Assistant Principal Mr. Kevin Herington said. “It should not only help teachers during lectures, but can also be used during class presentations for soft spoken students.”
So far, many teachers, such as Advanced Art teacher Ms. Diane Chang Ho and Physics teacher Mr. Kevin Slattery, have utilized the new voice lift system during class. Ms. Chang Ho lets her quieter students use the voice lift to better present art projects, while Mr. Slattery hangs the voice lifter on the speakers during the beginning of fourth period so more students can hear the bulletin.
“I’ve never had a student say I wasn’t loud enough, so I don’t use the voice lift for that,” Mr. Slattery said. “What I love about it is that I can use it for the bulletin. I was always a bit frustrated when students talked over the bulletin, but now the sound is loud and clear.”