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September 12, 2006
The Department of Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) hosted the second annual Summer Technology Day Camp for kids Aug. 21-25. The camp is aimed at encouraging fifth through eighth grade students to become interested in technology and exposing them to a colligate atmosphere.
CSE doctoral student Kelly Cannon created the camp in 2005, under the guidance of Professor Nikolaos Papanikolopoulos. The camp is focused on minority groups, including girls, African American and Hispanic students.
Cannon said they wanted to gear the program towards children who might only have the chance to explore science and technology if it’s free. She said that mission made it important for the camp to arrange and provide transportation and lunch.
At this year's camp, 18 dedicated CSE graduate students worked with 20 fifth through eighth grade students from Minneapolis and St. Paul schools to complete a variety of projects, including: building a boombox made from a lunch box, using circuit boards and MP3 players and programming robot dogs for a dance competition.
Cannon said the feedback about the camp has been fabulous. “Already this year we’ve had parents approach [us],” she said. “It’s really positive.”
Papanikolopoulos attributes the camp’s success to Cannon. “She did everything,” he said. “She’s such a driving force behind this.”
Cannon said they’re always looking for camp volunteers. While the Digital Technology Center and the Center for Distributed Robots co-sponsor the camp, Cannon added that outside sources would also be a welcomed support.
For more information about the camp, contact CSE Communications Coordinator Robyn White at rwhite@cs.umn.edu.
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