Computer and Digital Camera for Trapezoid

In statewide competitions, the Trapezoid has regularly been recognized as a top-quality high school student newspaper. Brighton Education Fund is happy to have contributed to its continuing quality through two separate grants, the first in 1998 and the second in 2000.

In 1998, BEF co-funded the purchase of a new Pentium II PC and a license for Adobe PageMaker page layout software. Until that time, Trapezoid staff composed pages by hand, using manual cut-and-paste techniques that were time-honored but time-wasting. A new computer and software not only improved the layout process, but provided a creative vehicle for the photography and art staffers. Photographs could be scanned, retouched, and enhanced digitally, then easily included in page layouts. The new computer also provided digital input for the developers of the Trapezoid web site.

The purchase of the new computer for Trapezoid was funded largely by a $1000 gift from the Class of 1957. The balance was co-funded by the Brighton Education Fund.

Although there are many other digital cameras in use at the high school, a high quality camera was requested in 2000 for use solely by the Trapezoid staff. This guarantees access to the camera at any time, eliminating the need to locate and borrow another one. It has reduced the Trapezoid's very large budget for film, enabled multiple exposures of a given event or subject, and eliminated the time-consuming steps of developing, printing, and scanning. The very high-quality camera provides much clearer and sharper images for the paper than others used principally for on-screen display.

June 10, 2001

Brighton Education Fund
c/o Brighton Schools, 2035 Monroe Avenue, Rochester, New York 14618
(585) 461-0434