We’ve all heard about Student Alliance, Girls’ Club, and Tri-Ship many times throughout our high school careers, but the same cannot be said of STiLT, the Student Technology Leadership Team. If you don’t recognize the name of this new organization, you’re not alone. It’s not a conspicuous part of New Trier, but it is already paving an unusual and important path.

STiLT began with a simple, clear-cut purpose: to serve as a help desk for students with school-issued iPads. With 700 students using iPads as part of the pilot program this fall, faculty members seized the opportunity to let tech-savvy students utilize their expertise. Software specialist Pete Gutierrez, who leads STiLT with Jacqui Pritchard and Alyssa Dyar, explained, “For a while now there has been a push for tech leadership.”

In the Student iPad Resource Center, set up in room 377N, iPad-wielding students can drop by for answers to their iPad-related questions or troubleshooting solutions from teachers and students. Junior and STiLT member Elizabeth Lee said, “We are a student resource for technology, iPads specifically.”

Students like junior Emily Doyle have made the most of the help center this fall. “I tried to get something to work for 30 or 45 minutes, and then the guy just magically fixed it,” said Doyle.

Junior Claire Huguelet added, “The resource center was really efficient and super helpful. And they’re really nice about it, and not snobby.”

As the year has progressed, demand for iPad advice has decreased, giving STiLT members more time to work on creative projects and learn about technology-related topics.

So far, these projects have included a workshop by a New Trier alum and discussion of developing an iOS app. It’s only fitting that STiLT has a sophisticated website (iPads.nths.net/students/whatisstilt) and students are working on improving it with blog posts and video tutorials.

STiLT leaders also hope to include more young people in discussions about tech issues, both at New Trier and beyond. At ETC Day in February, STiLT will facilitate workshops with topics such as Internet security, and the group is even planning an interscholastic tech conference for high school students.

In the eyes of STiLT’s principal participants, however, their biggest success has been the creation of a supportive and collaborative environment for students.

Gutierrez said, “We’re trying to set up times when students can come in and learn certain things they enjoy. We want to have this as an awesome space for students.”

It seems that Gutierrez and the rest of the tech team have succeeded in this regard. Junior Aaron Fay said of STiLT, “If you’re interested in programming, usually you do it alone or with friends, and it’s really cool to have a support group.”

In addition to STiLT’s trademark intimacy and camaraderie, students also value the chance to have a voice in the tech-planning process. Lee said, “I get to speak directly to teachers about what’s good or bad. There’s not just the middleman system we could easily have. And it’s cool because a lot of the students are in an iPad pilot class themselves, so we they have direct experience.”

Dyar agreed that student input is very valuable. “One of the great things about STiLT is that we hear feedback we didn’t necessarily expect or encourage to change the way students are using technology.”

The chance to share a passion for technology clearly appeals to many students. Dyar said that when STiLT members visited advisories to recruit students “the response was overwhelming.”

Although STiLT was initiated at the beginning of the school year, in conjunction with the iPad pilot program, it’s remained under-the-radar. Many students are just now hearing about it and expressing interest, which has been both exciting and challenging for STiLT. “We are trying to figure out how much space we have. Next year we hope to open STiLT to a wider audience while still keeping it intimate,” said Dyar.

It’s difficult to predict exactly what form STiLT will take in coming years, but Dyar and Gutierrez are hopeful that it will continue to expand. For now, at least, we can depend on the quiet room up on the third floor, where computers are always available for creative STiLT members and outlets are always available for iPads low on battery.