Photo By Jeff Fairbank

Great Expectations?

Less than two weeks ago, seven BCIT students paced around a single Powerbookâ„¢, shaking and sweating minutes before our lofty project was due.

The anti-climax was palpable as we tidied the space we called home for 48 fitful hours. I think we had a lot regrets, we had fun yes, be we saw so many objectives dashed and hours of hard work spent on assets that were absent in the final product.

It's amazing how different the mood was tonight, when just after 9pm we heard our names called.

In the Span of Minutes...

And the award for Best Use of Interactivity goes to... Scotty and Dole in Escape from the Glue Factory...

Oh, who did that one?

It wasn't until we saw our own project on the big screen that it hit us. We had taken one of the New Media Slam awards. Out of 14 registered teams from across western Canada, and six that crossed the finish line, we the BCIT New Media Crew had done it.

Sandra did an outstanding job of accepting our award. Though stunned as any of us, she gracefully received our first bucket.

Our luck just kept going. Minutes later, the first door prize was announced, and I just happened to hold the number that was called. We won CANDY! Score another bucket for the BCIT New Media Crew!

We had barely finished unwrapping our first round of sweets when the Zed People's Choice Award, the last of five, was read. Wouldn't you know it? Lightening does strike twice.

On Top of the World

Dazed and disbelieving, we seven students shuffled down the steep staircase.

Now we stood behind the podium, staring out into a crowd of our peers. Much credit should go to VFS, Team Space Monkey and Team S&N who also won recognition for their great works. But WE were on another plane.

We had won the award for Best Use of Interactivity, the Zed People's Choice Award, the esteem of our peers and supporters, fabulous prizes, and another bucket!

And We Danced...

Woo, the elation! Where just hours before, we nervously asked one another if we'd place at all, now we stood atop the best of Western Canada.

Being poor students, we retired to a lounge to count our booty.

You can read the details of our fabulous prizes at Sandra Smith's blog Hamster Salad. But the prizes haven't entered into my mind just yet. I'm just flying, and so very proud of my intrepid teammates and the work we were able to produce.

Nothing left to do but dance the night away to the grooving tunes courtesy of BBC Radio One DVJ, Charles Kriel!

Be sure to check out Rob's great photos of the night's festivities. Just ignore certain ones with some questionable, post-quaff craziness.

What? Another One!

We held strong until DJ Kriel spun back his last platter.

With few revelers remaining in the late hour, BCIT NMC swept up four more buckets of door prizes! I think Mariska and Jeff's little ones will have hours of enjoyment courtesy of Flourish Media and the Slam's various sponsors.

Add a nod to our own sponsors who made this possible. Also, don't think we had forgotten our friends and readers who voted (only once each, I swear) so often for us. This is all thanks to you!

I made a personal promise tonight to keep my bucket at Raincity, ever overflowing with candy to remind us of our achievement tonight.

Oh, but what's this about another 48-hour competition? In t-t-two weeks no less? You guys are killing me!

To be continued...