Girl Tech to teach middle schoolers about technology

WHAT: Join the University of Illinois Springfield’s Computer Science Department for two days of fun exploring technology during Girl Tech 2014. Hands-on activities include creating your own robot, fun ideas with electricity, design a game, and much more!

WHEN: Thursday, June 12 and Friday, June 13, 2014 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

WHERE: University Hall Building (UHB) on the UIS campus

DETAILS: Studies show the number of women in higher education in computer science is falling drastically. Girl Tech is geared toward girls in middle school because interest seems to start decreasing around that age.

Highlighting the sessions this year is a multi-session activity where each girl will create her own robotic companion to take home. They will get to plan the robot, program the robot, and personalize their robot.

Other activities include, “Green Screen Dreams” where participants will use green screens and iPads to make their dreams a reality. During “Light Up Your Life!” students will use circuit pens to draw with conductive ink. Girls will make up their own computer game on a Raspberry Pi computer during a session called “Scratch”. They’ll also use hi-tech design tools to create a Girl Tech 2014 t-shirt to take home.

The registration fee is $30 per girl, which covers lunch both days, snacks and a participation t-shirt. To be eligible to participate, the girl must be entering 7th, 8th or 9th grade in the fall of 2014. For more information about the camp and to register visit http://csc.uis.edu/girltech/. The registration deadline is Thursday, June 5, 2014.

For more information, contact Mary Sheila Tracy, camp coordinator and UIS Computer Science instructor, at 217/206-7328 or mtrac1@uis.edu.