LOS ANGELES — Create the opportunities and good things will happen. Angeles Echols-Brown doesn’t know roadblocks or obstacles. As the Founder, CEO and visionary behind Educating Young Minds (EYM), Ms. Echols-Brown provided a massive three-day weekend entertainment and educational extravaganza for « her kids » (college students, young adults, high school students and students as young as nine years of age) who participated in life changing high-tech exhibits, educational workshops, career opportunities, met role models and celebrities and even participated in an international teleconference with India and Africa. The worldwide weekend celebration began June 17, 2011 by recognizing the explosive internet evolution. EYM showcased its new cutting-edge interactive website « Access/No Excuse » during a special reception at its corporate offices. « Access/No Excuse » is a state-of-the-art interactive online academic and career development search engine. EYM officials said « Access/No Excuse » will help further expand the reach and vision of EYM’s programs and at the same time address academic, vocational and outreach opportunities for students worldwide.
West LA College and Nestle then hosted an exciting all-day interactive series of exhibits, workshops and entertainment designed to excite, motivate and encourage students and young adults, as well as the introduction of EYM’s new internet technology. Exhibits included education, green technology/environment, science/engineering/technology, health and wellness, arts and entertainment and government/law/finance. EON Reality’s exhibit provided the ability for attendees to use EON’s Interact system for manipulating a digital object on a display system with only gestures and movement of their hands; to communicate with students in another city through EON Coliseum, a web based collaborative multiuser technology platform where the distant person appeared as an avatar in a virtual world environment on a large screen and interacted through VOIP with the EYM guest; to view 3D objects on the EON Holographic I, a rear-projected system that creates the 3D illusion of images onto a very large screen; and to experience 3D on the EON Artificial I, a display system that allows you to view 3D images without having to wear special glasses. The attendees were particularly excited seeing the Solar System displayed on the Holographic I and in identifying its planets, were very engaged using EON’s Interact system by physically moving objects with a movement of their bare hands, and thoroughly enjoyed talking with the distant student in another city who was responding to the attendees through his avatar on the screen and interacting with objects as directed by them.
One of the weekend highlights was the « Blue-Eyed Soul Rock ‘n Roll » concert with performances by more than a dozen professional recording artists. Hosted by actor Michael McKean (« Smallville, » « Brady Bunch Movie ») and actress Annette O’Toole (« Smallville », « Superman III »), the concert featured Ryder Bach, Keith David, Lynette Dupree, Sam Harris, Leslie Odums Jr., Michelle Owens, Jason Paige, Valerie Pettiford, Ravi and Nicollette Robinson. « The talent was amazing with high-energy sounds and many standing ovations, » echoed show director Obba Babatunde, producers Bruce Cecil and Adriane Lenox.
At its 13th annual Scholarship Awards Gala, students were presented with college scholarships totaling more than $157,000. Scholarship winners were Los Angeles area residents Kara Craig, Rahel Tesfahun, Jonathan Jones, Nesrin Ahmed, Samuel Wondim, Helen Asefa and Zenna Hassen, and others presently enrolled in four-year institutions.
Entertainment was also featured during the gala dinner as talented singer Abraham McDonald, winner of the Oprah Winfrey singing challenge, showcased his soulful and amazing voice for the audience. Also on stage were singer Ravi, actress Kym Whitley and comedian Michael Colyar. Former KABC-TV newscaster Larry Carroll served as MC, while Oscar Hernandez produced the awards dinner.
Corporate sponsors who provided and/or presented the scholarships and support were Toyota, Nestle, College Access Foundation of California and US Bank. Also participating were CVS, West LA College, Southern California Edison, Duke Media, Magic Johnson Foundation, Sue Buntzel Foundation, Skanska USA, Union Bank, The Ahmanson Foundation, Verizon, Samuel Goldwyn Foundation, Africa Channel, Gwen-Marie Thomas Scholarship, AT&T, EON Reality, Promax Digital, L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and California State Senator Curren Price Jr.
About EDUCATING YOUNG MINDS (EYM)
Educating Young Minds was formed in 1987 by Angeles Echols-Brown to create a rich and diverse supplemental learning environment where students would be encouraged to grow academically, emotionally and socially. EYM grew out of the needs of many students and families for supplemental education and counseling, which over-stressed public schools, could not meet. EYM realized that academic achievement is not predicated on intellectual ability alone, but is also the product of the social and emotional growth our programs encourage. « EYM’s purpose is to motivate, encourage and empower inner-city students, dropouts and young adults in transition, and to bridge the educational and corporate worlds, » Ms. Echols-Brown said. « It is essential that we develop a culture of continuous education, excitement and wonder for our youth as we create global citizens. » EYM’s programs include: after school tutorial, home-study instruction during the day, Saturday remedial, High School exit exam prep, SAT/ACT prep, a 6-week STEM summer program and college scholarship program, where graduates receive $6,000-$10,000 college scholarships. For further information, please visit www.educatingyoungminds.org
About EON REALITY
EON Reality, Inc. is the world’s leading interactive 3D solutions provider for businesses and education based on Virtual Reality technology. EON Reality provides state-of-the-art authoring software and 3D display technology solutions for immersive and stereoscopic viewing, from portable tablet PCs and glass free stereo display systems to curved-screen and immersive rooms consisting of multi-channel projection walls, etc. The technology foundation for developing interactive digital content includes importing the most common 3D animation formats into EON’s authoring software and creating modules and applications that can be viewed on various display systems. EON’s technology solutions enable all organizations to more effectively visually communicate, collaborate and accelerate knowledge transfer.
Industry leaders, including Atlas Copco, Aramco, Bechtel, Boeing, Bombardier, British Petroleum, ExxonMobile, Hon, Intel, Lexus, Lufthansa -Teknik, Lowell Manufacturing, Peterbilt, Samsung, Siemens Medical, Suzuki, Tobyhanna Army Depot, Toyota and Whirlpool use EON solutions to enhance the interactive user experience to effectively increase sales, better communicate product functionality and decrease the cost of service, training and technical support. Some educational institutions who have adopted EON’s technology solutions include: the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (located on the campus of the Florence-Darlington Technical College), Old Dominion University, Marquette University, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Discovery World Museum, Oklahoma City Community College, Concord University, North Dakota State University, Texas State Technical College – Waco, El Paso Community College, University of Alabama, Hazard Community and Technical College, University of Hawaii, Lansing Community College, University of Kentucky, Maysville Community and Technical College, and Miami University. For further information, contact [email protected] or visit www.eonreality.com.
