Kingswood Oxford’s new tech teachers are middle school ‘Google Ninjas.’

Kingswood Oxford alum and Google employee Brian Bendett ’08 poses with some of KO’s “Google Ninjas” (L to R): Avi Mehta, Hannah Rowland, George Stephan, Evan Banning, Zac Riley, Garrett Mastella, Ben Boyd, and Jacob Scheinblum. Photo credit: Kristen Weldon (submitted photo)

Submitted by Kingswood Oxford School

They meet every Tuesday after school, this pioneering band of Middle School technology gurus called “Google Ninjas.”

Their mission: to help the Kingswood Oxford School community – students and adults alike – understand, embrace, and effectively use all the apps and features available through Google Apps for Education (GAFE), a suite of free Google tools that KO has been using since last summer.

In other words, these 7th- and 8th-grade students, guided by Middle School teachers Kate Reigeluth and Ann Sciglimpaglia, are themselves becoming technology teachers.

“We knew we had students who were so excited about using Google and, more importantly, technology,” said Sciglimpaglia, who is also Academic Dean and MS Math Department Chair. “The Ninjas were developed as a way to help us with the transition of becoming a GAFE school.”

There are 11 Google Ninjas: Evan Banning ’21, Ben Boyd ’21, Mike Doyle ’20, Sam Eckert ’20, Garrett Mastella ’21, Aidan McDonald ’21, Avi Mehta ’22, Zac Riley ’21, Hannah Rowland ’21, Jacob Scheinblum ’21, and George Stephan ’21.

Some weeks, they create brief how-to videos – like “How to Google More Efficiently” or “How to Use Google ‘Keep’ to Make To-Do Lists” – that are shown at Middle School assemblies and are included in their weekly column in the Tuesday Tech Time newsletter, which is emailed to all faculty and staff.

They also help out at #koedchat, a tech help desk set up in the cafeteria during lunch every Tuesday from 11am-1pm. Last week, it was buzzing with customers, including Head of School Dennis Bisgaard, who tweeted about the experience.

But on Apr. 22, the Ninjas reverted to their more typical role at KO: They were students again, as they listened to Brian Bendett ’08 explain what it’s like to work at the technology giant.

A Cornell University graduate, Bendett is an analyst for Google Ventures, which provides seed, venture, and growth-stage funding to technology companies. He is part of a team that meets with start-up companies that are pitching their products and helps decide which ones to invest in. Some examples: Uber, Snapchat, and AirBnB.

He told the Ninjas that he’s recently seen a number of pitches related to virtual and augmented reality, as well as a steady stream of potential phone apps.

They asked plenty of questions and got the “inside scoop” on life at Google. They learned, for instance, that no Google employee is ever more than 150 feet away from a food source while at work!

They also learned that familiarity with computer science is critical for students seeking careers in technology, and that Google is always on the lookout for engineers.

“In 2004, Brian was a student at KO’s Middle School; now, he’s a Google Ventures employee who decides which tech startups are worth investing in,” said Kate Reigeluth, who teaches Spanish and is also one of KO’s Academic Technology Coordinators. “He showed the Google Ninjas what’s possible if they continue to pursue their interest in technology.”

The preeminent independent co-ed day school in Greater Hartford, Kingswood Oxford School is located just steps from Blue Back Square and West Hartford Center. Its 508 students come from 62 towns in CT and western MA, as well as China and South Korea.

For enrollment information or to arrange an interview and tour, contact the Admissions Office at 860-727-5000 or [email protected].