Students Crystallized for Christmas

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   The Student Activities Board took school pictures to a new level by sponsoring the company “Clearly You Crystals” to take 3-D crystal images of students at the University of Arkansas at Monticello on Nov. 2, 10 and 11.

   Ogre and Roger Bouwman travel to campuses all over the country to provide students with an opportunity uniquely remembered.

   Demarkus Wilson, president of SAB, said, “This is an activity for students, usually done around Christmas time, so they can provide Christmas presents for their loved ones."

    The process of creating this crystal image is, in fact, very interesting. First, the scan takes 18 different images and converts them into a 3-D file. Then the image is sent to the laser, which is focused at a point of light where it can burn the crystal. Each crystal makes about 100,000 micro fractures to make up the picture. Each crystal takes about 3-5 minutes to make. On a regular six-hour day, the company makes about 85-90 crystals. On an eight-hour day, the company makes over 100 crystals.

  Daniel Henderson, a senior at UAM, said the 3-D pictures were “very intriguing.”

   The expenses of the crystals were paid for by SAB. The usual cost is $35 dollars each. The bigger ones are $45 each. Students do have a chance to reorder the crystals at their own expense by going on the Web site provided in the box and typing in the pictures code. 

   The images remain online indefinitely so that the students may order a copy at any time. There are also lighted bases for these crystals at Wal-Mart for about $10 for those who want to jazz up their images.

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©The Voice 2005
Revised 11/15/2005 07:17:05 PM — http://www.uamont.edu/Organizations/TheVoice/3_9/crystal.htm