4-H exposes campers to computer science opportunities
Lucy Baker, 10, (left) and Caileigh Theodori, 9, both of Uniontown get ready to test their robot with a specific objective for which the duo had programmed the device during an activity at the Fayette County 4-H computer science camp.
Kendra Firestone, 11, of Lemont Furnace watches intently as her LEGO Mindstorms robot attempts to perform a task as she had programmed it.
Fayette County 4-H Robotics Club leader Mary Ann Hughes (right) assists Jonah Lindstrom (center) and David Piasecki, both 11, of Connellsville with their LEGO Mindstorms robot during a computer science camp activity.
Joshua Reed, 10, of Uniontown makes specifics markings on a sheet of paper that will tell his Ozobot how to react when its sensor moves over the different lines and colors. Students at a Fayette County 4-H computer science camp learned basic programming skills through software and robotics kits.
An Ozobot follows a pattern drawn by a camper at a computer science camp held by Fayette County 4-H.
A camp offered by Fayette County 4-H and Penn State Extension last week to elementary and middle school students took advantage of programming assistance from Google to help the potential future computer scientists explore their interests in emerging technologies.
The first camp of its kind at 4-H designed to expose youth to existing career possibilities in computer science and related technologies attracted 15 young students eager to learn, said Jennifer Deichert, Penn State Extension educator, 4-H and youth development.
“They’re hungry for learning, and they want to try new things. We need to get them interested when they’re young,” said Deichert.
Deichert said the camp was made possible when 4-H teamed with tech giant Google on a national level last summer to bring computer science education to kids across the country.
A $1.5 million grant from Google established a computer science program through 4-H to teach kids technical skills like programming and coding, with the efforts reaching communities where youth traditionally have limited access to computers, internet or computer science training.
With Google’s support, 4-H equipped community educators with funding, curriculum, training, devices and support from Google computer science experts.
At the camp, students learned basic programming skills through Scratch programming software and LEGO Mindstorms and Ozobots robotics kits. Using unplugged activities, they were introduced to computational thinking to understand the fundamentals of programming and algorithms.
The grant provided Google Expeditions virtual reality kits to explore other parts of the world from a Uniontown classroom.
The partnership between 4-H and Google established an official 4-H Computer Science Career Pathway to help kids progress from a casual interest in computer science to dedicated studies and ultimately career experience.
Deichert attended training for the program in Utah last year, returning to share her knowledge at the local level.
“Just to have the opportunity to share this information in Fayette County, by learning it myself and getting the opportunity to share it with the local youth is important,” she said.
The four components of the pathway — explore, learn, practice and experience — provide students with exposure, skills and opportunities, Deichert said.
“Careers are going to be dependent on this type of technology,” she said.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. These fields are projected to add more than 500,000 new jobs nationwide during that time.
Deichert said while the Fayette County 4-H operates a robotics club, she has seen interest locally for starting a computer science club as well.
This interest extends outside of 4-H to area schools and communities, she said, where youth are excited to explore various subjects but often have no formal, organized way to communally do so.
“The desire for the kids to learn is there. Oftentimes, the limiting factor is finding an adult or chaperone (to oversee a club),” Deichert said.
“There’s opportunities out there, but it’s finding adults that will provide the structure for the kids. They think they need to lead the kids and be an expert, (but) the kids will lead you.”