For their semester project, the kids designed the Web site, which features a virtual tour of the city, as well as historical archives, a time line and links to cultural attractions, businesses, organizations, entertainment and restaurants.
"We wanted to do a civics project that was threefold, that gave us the opportunity to give something back to community, to integrate technology and history and leave a trademark behind that would help future students and tourists learn about our city," Wester said.
Wester got the idea after attending a National Council for History Education conference in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where a history class Web site for Rochester, N.Y., was showcased.
He assigned roles to each of his 14 students, choosing an editor and media relations person, as well as researchers, photographers, print journalists, technology experts and site coordinators.
"He sat back and let us do our thing," said Hannah Seldin, 13, assistant site coordinator.
They collected photos of landmarks to create their virtual tour, which morphs past images into present ones. They interviewed longtime residents.
Coordinator Rebecca Rophie, 14, edited interviews and time line information and helped with research and technical aspects of the project.
Max Orloff, 13, and Max Vener, 14, designed the Web site, using multimedia design software called Mediator 7 Pro.
The Web site won a stamp of approval from Mayor Brian Aungst and city commissioners, who wrote a note of congratulations featured on the site.
Hannah was impressed by the rich culture of the city once called Clear Water Harbor and was fascinated by the interview of 77-year-old Henry Moore, a longtime resident.
"His story is really interesting because he could really tell us how Clearwater changed," Hannah said.
And Rebecca enjoyed evidence of that change in historical photos.
It was hard work.
"We made a lot of phone calls, and we all had to take a step up and mature as students," Hannah said.
And there were a couple of glitches along the way. They had a hard time finding eye-friendly hues for their Web pages. "Bright yellow and bright red sound like a good idea," Hannah said.
And a typographical error gave them the wrong domain name at first, when they inadvertently left out the first r in Clearwater.
But now they're thrilled.
"I think we did a great job," Rebecca said. "Our class really worked together on it."
"I'm very proud. We all made our deadlines and everything clicked," Hannah said.
In the next couple of weeks, they will put finishing touches on the Web site, adding events to their time line and expanding their archives section and links pages.
"This has been their baby, and they've taken it and they worked as professionally as any news staff that I've been part of," said Wester, who majored in television broadcasting at the University of South Florida.
