Volunteer Spotlight: STEM Partner Steve Gillman
Steve Gillman, Eli Lilly and Company retiree
When Steve walks down the hallway at Fox Hill Elementary he’s greeted by enthusiastic students. From sharing a bright smile to offering a fist bump, the students Mr. Gillman has volunteered with in the past are eager to show appreciation of their friend. These cheerful greetings illuminate Steve’s love for the STEM Partners program: the opportunity to build a lasting rapport with students!
Steve Gillman (left), Ms. Nelson (right) and her 4th grade class.
Steve Sorting isopods for the class’s environmental factors experiment.
In preparation for Ms. Nelson’s lesson over investigating environmental factors, Steve showed up nearly an hour and a half before the science lesson to set up for the experiment. He meticulously arranged all the materials including sorting two variations of living isopods. In doing so, he allowed Ms. Nelson to maximize her teaching time, providing more time for the students to complete their writing assignments and math problems. As a best practice, Steve urges other STEM Partners to volunteer and help out with activities that aren’t glamorous like setting up experiments before class, making copies, and even helping with lunch duty. He explains that those small tasks will go a long way with fostering a relationship with your partner teacher.
“Try to refrain from being an expert. For instance, if a kid asks a question, assist them in finding the answer.” Steve suggests this best practice to new and existing STEM Partners.
Students and Steve observe the two types of isopods responding to the different moisture environments.
During the experiment, Steve assisted Ms. Nelson in walking around the room to listen in on the different workgroups. Steve stopped at each group to ask thought-provoking questions about the behaviors the students observed during the experiment. Effortlessly, Steve called on the students by name and encouraged them to think through what they were observing. Steve’s skill with interactions with the students has been cultivated over the years through his participation in STEM Partners and other volunteer roles.
“Volunteering with this program helps me understand the challenges kids in low-income areas face, and it helps to bridge the generational gap,” says Steve. “In the long run, I hope the program assists in reducing the economic gap by allowing the kids to understand that their STEM education can lead to successful careers.”
Students observing the different behaviors of two isopod types in an effort to classify the insects by type.
Steve values this program and wants to encourage others to make a difference in their local schools by participating too! If you’re not sure whether you should become a STEM Partner, Steve suggests going to shadow an existing Partner. You can arrange a time to accompany the Partner to their classroom and see the program in action. After you’ve shadowed a Partner, Steve wants you to give the STEM Partners program a try!
Steve passes a cup of 8 squirming isopods to a hesitant student.
Thank you, Steve, for volunteering as a STEM Partner and thank you to Ms. Nelson and her fourth-graders for participating in the STEM Partners program! This program wouldn’t be what it is today without the commitment by its STEM Partners and teachers!
Steve Gillman has volunteered with the STEM Partners program for 6 years. He has worked with a school in the Indianapolis Public School Corporation, Fox Hill Elementary, and Northview Middle School. He is currently volunteering at Ms. Nelson’s 4th-grade class at Fox Hill and at Ms. Brooks’s 6th-grade class at Northview Middle School.
Volunteer Spotlight: STEM Partner Stephanie Stout
STEM Partners is an innovative program that connects talented teachers with experienced STEM professionals to implement hands-on, minds-on curriculum. Employees from Eli Lilly and Company, IU Health and HNTB volunteer as "STEM Partners" for the duration of a school year, working one-on-one with a teacher to create and enrich the STEM learning environment in the classroom. We are excited to highlight our volunteers and share their rewarding experiences in this volunteer spotlight series!
Stephanie (on the left) pictured with Miss Ashby’s second-grade students.
Stephanie Stout
Research Scientist
Eli Lilly and Company
Stephanie has been a STEM Partner since 2014. Over the years she has volunteered at Blue Academy in Decatur Township and Sycamore Elementary School in Avon, where she currently volunteers with Miss Ashby’s 2nd graders.
Growing up with a mother who taught, Stephanie Stout spent quite a bit of time in the classroom and loved it! Throughout her schooling, Stephanie had several science teachers who inspired and fostered her love for science. For Stephanie, having the opportunity to return to the classroom - an environment she loved as a kid - to share her enthusiasm for science with young students is what drew her to volunteer as a STEM Partner.
“How often do you walk into a room and see 25 faces beam with excitement that you’ve arrived and that they are about to start something fun?” she says of the 2-hour sessions she attends twice per month.
During her five impactful years as a STEM Partner, Stephanie has learned that kids value engaging role models. Stephanie understands that young children yearn for adult role models, and even spending a few moments with them in small groups can help build a relationship.
“Engaging with children can sometimes be intimidating for adults with limited exposure to kids,” she says. “But I have found that students (and teachers) are incredibly gracious when you put yourself out there.”
When Stephanie is interacting with students, Miss Ashby recognizes the clear benefit of Stephanie’s presence in the classroom: students are able to get more hands-on time in small groups because Stephanie is there to assist in leading discussions and providing guidance. Without Stephanie’s presence, it would be a challenge for Miss Ashby to provide enough attention to each group around the classroom.
Although everyone would like to volunteer, it can be tough to find time in your schedule for it. Due to Stephanie’s strong commitment to the program, she plans ahead to establish time for STEM Partners. Stephanie crafts her schedule early in the school year and blocks out her calendar with “out-of-office” notations. Of course, there are days where Stephanie’s schedule is packed and she doesn’t think she can take time away from work, but once she’s in the classroom she always enjoys herself!
Stephanie’s advice for new STEM Partners is to be persistent if you encounter difficulty in communications - or even scheduling - with your paired teacher. Stephanie learned that teachers juggle multiple streams of communication and additional demands that can make connecting with a STEM Partner difficult. Don’t let this challenge discourage you! Maintain persistence and reach out to TechPoint Foundation for Youth or your STEM Partner contacts at your organization for help! For those who aren’t sure whether STEM Partners would be a good fit for them, Stephanie adamantly states that the program will likely be one of the most rewarding parts of your day or week!
Thank you Stephanie for volunteering as a STEM Partner and thank you to Miss Ashby and her second graders for participating in the STEM Partners program! This program wouldn’t be what it is today without the commitment of the STEM Partners volunteers and teachers!
Hour of Code 2019 impacts over 3,000 students!
Two Deer Run fourth graders during an Hour of Code session.
Central Indiana students went on a quest for candy, blasted obstacles with dragons, and mapped pathways for Flurbs last week, all in the name of computer science. Though the activities featured fictional fantasy characters, more than 3,250 students gained real coding experience. Hour of Code began as a simple hour-long introduction to computer science, designed to show that anybody can learn the basics and garner interest in the field of computer science. Since its inception, Hour of Code has evolved into a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, whether it be through a one-hour online activity or a community-wide celebration. From December 9th to December 13th, TechPoint Foundation for Youth (TPF4Y) staff and volunteers mentored students in over 125 classrooms at six schools across central Indiana. CoderDojo Indiana, a TPF4Y initiative, facilitated Hour of Code in the districts of IPS, Pike and Lawrence Township schools in order to celebrate Computer Science Education Week for the sixth year in a row.
Lalita Sawyers-Locke, a volunteer from Roche, and a first grade student at Skiles Test Elementary work together on an Hour of Code activity.
Volunteers who work in the technology sector visited 125 classrooms, shared about their careers, and assisted the students in the coding activities. Volunteers contributed more than 171 hours to Hour of Code throughout the week! Speaking of his own experience at the schools, TPF4Y’s Vice President of STEM Education George Giltner said: “It was an absolute joy seeing students getting excited about coding and working together to solve problems. We are so grateful for our volunteers to help connect the classroom activities to real-life applications so that students can see the potential of learning to code."
Some students had familiarity with the programs, however, to some it was brand new. The online activities allow for an easy introduction into the skills of “drag and drop” coding.
Volunteer Brian Owens from Carbonite shares his expertise with a student at Skiles Test Elementary.
“Hour of Code was a great way for students throughout the state to get introduced to coding,” said TPF4Y Volunteer & Events Coordinator Andy Fulton. “The activities kept the kids engaged and they felt more confident in their abilities at its conclusion. It’s amazing to see things ‘click’ for the students as they continue through the online lesson. We are so appreciative of the teachers for allowing us into the classrooms for this event.”
While Hour of Code has wrapped up for this year, the CoderDojo Indiana initiative is always looking for dedicated volunteers passionate about bringing computer science to underserved students. Currently, there are 32 CoderDojos in Indiana; CoderDojos are out-of-school time clubs hosted at schools, libraries, and community centers where students in grades K-12 can work collaboratively on their own coding projects, with the support of adult volunteers. To volunteer for a CoderDojo near you, visit the CoderDojo.com map or view the map to sign up a student.
Want to try Hour of Code activities at home?
For kindergarteners and 1st graders try: Sequencing with Scrat,
For intermediate students (2nd - 4th graders): Candy Quest
5th and 6th graders can try their hands at: Dragon Blast.
THANKS TO OUR 2019 HOUR OF CODE PARTNERS:
Lessonly Hosts IPS Students for Job Scavenger Hunt!
As one of Lessonly’s 2019 Brighter Indianapolis Fund community partners, TPF4Y has had the pleasure of engaging the Lessonly team in several volunteer opportunities, allowing them to witness firsthand the impact their support is having on TPF4Y’s hands-on STEM programs.
On October 30th, TPF4Y coordinated a customized volunteer experience for the Lessonly “llamas,” bringing 24 students from IPS Jonathon Jennings School 109 to the brand new Lessonly office space for a look at the jobs that help a successful company “Do Better Work.”
"We were fortunate to host a group of kids at the Lessonly HQ and introduce them to all of the different departments and jobs that our tech industry supports here in Indy,” said Katie Townsend, Lessonly’s Director of Enterprise Sales who also oversees Brighter Indy. “It's so critical to draw awareness to the hundreds of different types of professional roles waiting for these kids when they graduate, and also the importance of finding something that they truly enjoy doing.”
Lessonly Co-founder & CEO Max Yoder spoke to the students at the end of their visit.
The students, 2nd - 6th graders who were members of the school’s four VEX IQ robotics teams that started as a result of TPF4Y’s State Robotics Initiative start-up grant, experienced six stations during their visit: sales, marketing, services, client experience, product, and operations. Activities at these stations ranged from building LEGO llamas as a team, trying out video conferencing, and breaking down the concept of incorporating the company’s llama mascot into their brand. Of course, on the day before Halloween, costumes, candy, and spook-tacular treats had to be included in the festivities!
“It's been such an honor working with TP4Y this year and to witness how their programming makes such a positive impact on the children they serve,” Townsend concluded. “We loved sharing our culture and company with these students, and are thankful to TP4Y for making the experience possible for the kids and our Lessonly employees!"
If your company is interested in creating a custom volunteer experience with help from TPF4Y, contact us at Info@TechPointYouth.org for more information on corporate sponsorships!
Girl Powered Robotics Event!
International Day of the Girl is celebrated globally on October 11th in order to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face throughout the world. With girls being one of TPF4Y’s three priority populations, we decided to celebrate locally with our first ever Girl Powered robotics event!
Almost 50 girls from VEX Robotics teams in central Indiana participated in the event, with a focus on first- and second-year teams. After enjoying pizza and a chance to meet girls from other teams, participants split into three groups to visit stations led by student volunteers that focused on:
Design - Claire Bishop, a freshman who splits her time between homeschooling and Greenfield Central High School, led a brainstorming session that covered the pros and cons of different robot designs and prompted the girls to discuss the strategy involved in choosing the best design to fit your team’s goals.
Programming - Lauren Meyers, a Junior from Heritage Christian School, led the coding station where she reviewed basic strategies for coding a robot to perform tasks autonomously. She introduced coding to those students who had never coded before and covered more challenging coding strategies for experienced students.
Game Play - Jessa Steffen, a 7th grader from Hamilton Heights Middle School, led the game play strategy station where she reviewed all the tasks that need to be completed throughout this year’s game. She broke down the different strategies a team might use to accomplish these tasks and discussed the importance of clock management.
After each group had a chance to participate in all of the stations, the girls listened to a short panel discussion featuring the three student volunteers as well as Casey Matczak, a parent of one of the girls who has a career in electrical engineering.
The event and panel discussion were designed to encourage more girls to get involved in STEM programs, especially robotics. “It’s important for girls to engage in STEM because you use STEM in your everyday life,” said Jessa Steffen, one of the student volunteers. “And we need more women in the workforce.”
If you’re interested in supporting TPF4Y’s work with girls and other priority populations throughout Indiana by ensuring that more events like this can take place, please consider making a donation on Giving Tuesday! We appreciate your dedication to our goal of providing access to #Robots4All!
3rd Annual CoderDojo Indiana Hackathon!
On your mark… get set… code! On July 20th, CoderDojo Indiana (CDI), an initiative of TechPoint Foundation for Youth, hosted its third annual CoderDojo Indiana Hackathon, presented by Lessonly. This free, kids coding event engaged more than 99 student coders from around Indiana in a full day of computer science, food, and fun!
The day began with an opening ceremony led by George Giltner, VP of STEM Education, at 9am. Then, those students with some coding experience chose from three exciting challenges: Scratch, Python, or Ruby to showcase their coding skills. Each coder had 2 hours to complete programming challenges from different prompts given, trying to find solutions to problems within the codes!
Meanwhile, beginner coders had the chance to attend My First Dojo, where kids were able to try out a variety of hands-on CS activities using Makey Makey, Sphero, VEX IQ robots, and more.
After a pizza lunch, the Project Expo began! During the Project Expo, kids from all age groups had the opportunity to showcase their homemade coding projects. These projects were broken down by category: Games, Social Enterprise, and Scratch. They presented their projects to other kids attending the event and the judges, explaining what their program does, and answering questions along the way!
While the Project Expo was going on, we were also busy celebrating the 50 year anniversary of the moon landing with the MoonHack! Beginner hackers could try their hand at coding a NASA rover across the surface of the moon, overcoming the obstacles that awaited them!
The day concluded at 3:30pm with awards and prizes for kids in every category. Thanks to our friends at Raspberry Pi Foundation and individual donations, we were able to provide amazing prizes for our Scratch, Ruby, and Python Challenge Excellence and Project Expo winners! Our friend Max Yoder, CEO of this year’s presenting sponsor Lessonly, presented the awards to all of the winning students!
Congrats to all the winners - and check out our Facebook album for more pictures!
Want to join your local Dojo? Email myron@techpointyouth.org for information!
SRI Helps Teachers Fulfill New License Renewal Requirements
Most Indiana teachers are required to renew their teaching license every five years, which entails accruing 90 hours of professional development during that time frame. New professional license-renewal requirements were recently announced by the state of Indiana, requiring teachers who are renewing their license through “professional growth points,” which is the most common renewal path, to ensure that 15 of their 90 hours are workforce-related hours. This new requirement goes into effect on July 1, 2019, and is meant to give teachers professional development related to better preparing students for the workforce.
TechPoint Foundation for Youth, through its State Robotics Initiative, is offering 175 elementary and middle school teachers a chance to gain those hours by engaging their students in a fun - and free - robotics program.
Establishing a robotics team requires a coach - usually a teacher - who meets weekly with students for 10-16 weeks. TPF4Y funds the first year, providing a re-usable robotics kit, team registration, and professional development training on how to manage a robotics team. Coaches are also trained to complete a “classroom to career” activity with their students to show how competitive robotics directly relates to real world college and career pathways, a grant requirement that directly correlates to the teacher license renewal requirement. Teachers from schools awarded a grant:
Receive $760 worth of robotics supplies
Receive 15 hours of training that count toward Professional Growth Points that align with new teacher license requirements per House Enrolled Act 1002
Taking on the role of robotics coach gives teachers a free and fun way to gain the hours of professional development they need while also setting their students up for success in STEM jobs, something that is especially important given the increased STEM workforce demands in our state. Between 2017 and 2027, STEM jobs will grow 13% in Indiana (versus a 7% growth for non-STEM jobs). Plus, the median earnings in Indiana STEM jobs are more than $15 per hour higher than their non-STEM counterparts, and unemployment is significantly lower in STEM occupations. Many of the new workforce-related professional development opportunities that are surfacing for teachers are focused solely on fulfilling this new requirement, but lose sight of the opportunity for true professional development. TechPoint Foundation for Youth’s grant provides a long-lasting program that benefits Indiana students, while simultaneously helping teachers to achieve their professional development goals.
With a high impact program like the State Robotics Initiative, the numbers often speak for themselves. There is a 93% retention rate for teams receiving the comprehensive robotics start-up grant program from TechPoint Foundation for Youth, which speaks not only to the success teachers have had in implementing the program, but also the impact it is having on student participants and eventually, the Indiana economy.
Since the launch of the State Robotics Initiative in 2016, TechPoint Foundation for Youth has increased the number of VEX IQ robotics teams in Indiana from 73 to 1,536, more than any other state in the country. That means that more than 18,000 students are participating on those teams and, when asked, respond that they are more likely to attend college and pursue a STEM career thanks to their experience on the team.
Currently, eighty percent of Indiana school corporations have at least one school with a VEX IQ robotics team, but there are still more than 1,000 Indiana elementary and middle schools who are eligible for a robotics start-up grant and have yet to apply. TechPoint Foundation for Youth has $133,000 worth of grants to give away to 175 grant recipients for the 2019-20 school year.
Robotics helps kids learn to solve problems, create things, collaborate, and communicate with each other and their supervisors, vital 21st century workforce skills employers are asking for in their new hires. Other benefits include encouraging students, with a focus on reaching girls and children from underappreciated communities, to consider STEM careers, which will help Indiana increase minority representation in tech careers.
Creating a program like the State Robotics Initiative requires a cross-sector collaboration between school corporations, corporate partners, and community partners. Some of TechPoint Foundation for Youth’s partners who are making this happen for Indiana students include: the Indiana Department of Education, Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Guggenheim Life and Annuity, Roche Diagnostics, Eli Lilly and Company, and others. These partners each play a role based on the needs they see in our communities, whether that’s finding ways to connect students and teachers to real world experiences, building a pipeline of future employees, or developing workforce skills.
TechPoint Foundation for Youth needs the support of donors, volunteers, and coaches in order to make this program successful, so please contact us at info@techpointyouth.org if you see yourself filling one of these roles. If you want to check a specific Indiana school’s eligibility for the grant, you can also visit the robot map webpage.
Indiana Represented at 2019 VEX World Championship!
TPF4Y would like to recognize the tremendous accomplishments of all 120 Indiana robotics teams who competed at the 2019 VEX World Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, in April. It was an historic year for Indiana VEX teams, with more Indiana representation at the event than ever before! What’s even better? Twelve different home teams won awards at varying levels! (You can also view the Indiana Teams Worlds Results for the rankings of all of our Hoosier competitors!)
A few highlights we want to feature:
Out of the 12 teams that made it to the Elementary School Division finals, only two were from the United States and both were Eaglebots teams from Woodview Elementary in Nappanee, Indiana, coached by Jake Simons. They represented their state and country with pride accomplishing a second and sixth place overall finish. The Eaglebots also received the Elementary School Division Excellence Award, the most prestigious award a team can win.
In the Middle School Division finals, the Steel Eagles 1 from Zionsville Middle School, coached by Andy Seward, achieved a 3rd place finish, making them 1 of only 3 middle school teams from the United States to make the finals and the only team from Indiana.
Two teams from Indiana placed in the top ten for World Skills. Team 491X from Pioneer Jr-Sr High School, coached by Thomas Tam, had the 8th highest Skills score. Team 574C from Wawasee High School, coached by Jed Wandland, had the 2nd highest Skills score.
While we are very proud of the teams mentioned above, we want to congratulate each and every team that qualified for the 2019 VEX World Championship - just making it to the competition is a huge accomplishment! We hope that all of the Indiana teams had as much fun competing as we did cheering you on!
We are looking forward to the upcoming season to see all the excitement generated by the VRC challenge, Competition Tower Takeover and the VEX IQ challenge, Squared Away IQ. The countdown to next year’s Indiana VEX Robotics World Championship starts NOW!
TPF4Y’s Second Annual Pi Day Celebration Impacts Nearly 1000 Students
4th graders from New Augusta Public Academy South with a volunteer from First Internet Bank.
On March 14th, TPF4Y hosted our second official celebration of Pi Day presented by First Internet Bank! Pi Day is celebrated annually by mathematics fanatics around the globe as the day’s date (3.14) bears a striking resemblance to pi, the mathematical constant used in computing the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.
Thanks to a generous gift from First Internet Bank, TPF4Y was able to organize Pi Day events at local elementary schools with local STEM professionals volunteering to lead a math-focused activity provided by our partner, Math Pentathlon.
3rd graders from Indian Creek Elementary with a volunteer from First Internet Bank.
TPF4Y worked with nearly 1000 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade students from New Augusta Public Academy South, Indian Creek Elementary, Deer Run Elementary, and Sidener Academy to celebrate Pi Day by playing Juggle, a Math Pentathlon board game. New Augusta Public Academy South and Indian Creek Elementary had over 40 volunteers from First Internet Bank, Liberty Mutual, GEICO, Sogeti, and many more local companies leading the activity and helping students see how fun math can be.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to making Pi Day 2019 a success!
4th graders from New Augusta Public Academy South with a volunteer form Sogeti.
While Pi Day has passed for this year, we are still looking for volunteers to help facilitate Math Pentathlon games for students this summer and during the 2019-20 school year. Want to learn more? Think you might be able to help? Contact Volunteer@TechPointYouth.org!
2019 - Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship
The largest robotics state championship in the country took place on Saturday, March 10th at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, produced by TechPoint Foundation for Youth, powered by Guggenheim Life and Annuity and hosted by the City of Indianapolis. This is the second time the event has been held at the venue, bringing 361 Indiana elementary, middle, and high school teams together to compete for the opportunity to advance to this year's VEX Robotics World Competition being held in Louisville, Kentucky, at the end of April. More than 12,000 people were in attendance for the event.
Maddie Thumma and Leanne Cushing from BattleBots
Very special guests, Mayor Joe Hogsett, RECF CEO and Chairman of the Board, Dan Mantz, and IDOE Computer Science Specialist, Jake Koressel helped kick off the event, all presenting during the opening ceremony. Leanne Cushing and Maddie Thumma from BattleBots made a surprise appearance, with many words of encouragement for all of the female robotics students in the audience!
IndyVRC founder, Former Mayor Ballard, along with key representatives from top level sponsors including Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Indiana Department of Education, Roche Diagnostics, Eli Lilly and Company Foundation and additional supporting partners, attended to present awards including the coveted Ballard Teamwork Challenge trophies.
In addition to the nearly 1,900 robotics matches occurring on 50 different robotics fields throughout the day, an interactive TinkerFest presented by GEICO Cares took place that allowed students to tinker, make, discover, invent, create and play. 20 booths inspired more than 1,000 students through hands-on activities - and it was free to participate. TinkerFest also showcased finalists of the the inaugural Design it Make it Challenge. The contest, presented by TechPoint Foundation for Youth and IU School of Education, challenged K-12 teams to present a solution to a real world problem by designing and building a device that improves human health (see results below).
"This event was truly a milestone in our efforts with the State Robotics Initiative, and we were absolutely thrilled to put on a great event celebrating the success of Indiana robotics students," said VP of STEM Education for TechPoint Foundation for Youth, George Giltner, "With that being said, our work with the SRI will not be complete until every student in Indiana has access to a robotics program. We are looking forward to further expanding the impact of the initiative in the coming year."
The SRI grant program has helped launch more than 960 VEX IQ elementary and middle school teams since 2016. The 2019-20 grant is now open and the TPF4Y Robot Team hopes to award an additional 175 grants to eligible elementary and middle schools.
Due to the unprecedented growth of VEX IQ teams in Indiana, the state was awarded 110 qualifying spots for the 2019 World Competition - more than any state in the U.S. The 110 Indiana teams competing at Worlds will be matched up against 1,564 teams from over 30 countries in Louisville, Kentucky, from April 24-30.
Video recaps
Don’t miss these dynamic videos created by Query Productions for the State Championship:
Video played during the opening ceremonies
Final Results
Elementary VEX IQ
Middle School VEX IQ
Middle + High School VRC
Design it Make it Challenge Results
Judges Top Award
Adams Central Jr/Sr High, Monroe, IN
Design It Award
Binford Elementary School, Bloomington, IN
Make It Award
Riverside Intermediate School, Fishers, IN
State Finalists:
New Castle Middle School, New Castle, IN
Clear Creek Elementary, Bloomington, IN
University Elementary, Bloomington, IN
Binford Elementary School, Bloomington, IN
Celebrating Women's History Month with STEM Pioneers!
March is #WomensHistoryMonth and we are celebrating by highlighting female pioneers, both past and present, in STEM fields. Read on to learn more about women astronauts, chemists, computer scientists, geologists, mathematicians, paleontologists, physicists, and more!
Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first African American woman to become a physician in the United States & the only female physician author in the 19th century!
Marie Tharp was an American geologist & oceanographic cartographer who helped create the 1st scientific map of Earth's entire sea floor, revealing the Mid-Atlantic Ridge & changing the way earth scientists thought about the Earth's crust & its movement. (photo: Bruce Gilbert)
Florence Bascom was the 1st woman to be hired by the U.S. Geological Survey & the 1st woman to earn a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins. She's most known for her work with petrography (the description & classification of rocks, usually by microscopic study).
Dorothy Hodgkin was a British chemist who developed protein crystallography, for which she won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964. Her research led to the discovery of the structure of penicillin, vitamin B12 & insulin. (photo: Royal Society of Chemistry)
Hypatia was the first female mathematician whose life is reasonably well recorded. She lived in Alexandria, Egypt around 400 AD & was known as a great teacher & wise counselor.
Rachel Carson was a marine biologist & conservationist who started her career at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She's the author of multiple books, including Silent Spring, which helped inspire the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency!
Samantha Cristoforetti is an Italian European Space Agency astronaut who holds the record for longest uninterrupted spaceflight of a European astronaut. She's the 1st Italian woman in space & is known as the first person who brewed an espresso in space!
Katsuko Saruhashi was a Japanese geochemist most well-known for her groundbreaking research on radioactive fallout. She was the 1st woman to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Tokyo.
Fran Allen is a computer scientist who was the 1st female IBM Fellow & the 1st woman to receive the Association for Computing Machinery’s Turing Award (aka the "Nobel Prize of computing"). (photo: Rama, Cc-by-sa-2.0-fr)
Mary Anning was a paleontologist in the early 1800s who became world renowned for Jurassic marine fossils she discovered in the cliffs along the English Channel & contributed to important changes in scientific thinking about prehistoric life.
Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to fly in space! In 1963, she orbited the earth once every 88 minutes by operating her spacecraft manually. (photo: RIA Novosti archive)
Rosalind Franklin was a chemist best known for her work on the X-ray diffraction images of DNA while at Kings College London, which led to the discovery of the DNA double helix. (photo: personal collection of Jenifer Glynn)
Emmy Noether was a German mathematician who made important contributions to abstract algebra & theoretical physics. She was described by Albert Einstein as "the most significant creative mathematical genius" of her time.
Christine Darden is an American mathematician & aeronautical engineer who spent her career at NASA researching supersonic flight & sonic booms. She was the first black woman at NASA’s Langley Research Center to be promoted into the top rank in the federal civil service.
Shafi Goldwasser is a computer scientist and 1 of 3 women to win the Association for Computing Machinery’s Turing Award (aka the "Nobel Prize of computing"). She's a professor at both MIT & Weizmann Institute in Israel, cofounder of Duality Technologies & director of the Simon Institute!
Sally Ride was the 1st American woman in space (3rd overall) & remains the youngest American astronaut to have traveled to space (at the age of 32)!
Grace Hopper was a celebrated computer scientist who earned her Ph.D. in mathematics from Yale before becoming a U.S. Navy rear admiral & one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer.
Marie Curie developed of the theory of radioactivity (a term that she coined). She was the 1st woman to win a Nobel Prize, the 1st person (& only woman!) to win twice, & the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences (#physics & #chemistry).
Jocelyn Bell Burnell is an astrophysicist who, as a postgraduate student at Cambridge University, co-discovered the first radio pulsars (rapidly spinning neutron stars formed in supernova explosions)! (photo: Daily Herald Archive / SSPL via Getty Images)
Florence Nightingale is widely known as the founder of modern nursing - International Nurses Day is celebrated on her birthday! - but was also gifted in mathematics and became a pioneer in the use of infographics and statistical graphics!
2nd Annual CoderDojo Indiana Hackathon!
On your mark… get set… code! On July 28th, CoderDojo Indiana (CDI), an initiative of TechPoint Foundation for Youth, hosted the second annual CoderDojo Indiana Hackathon. This free, kids coding event engaged more than 80 student “code ninjas” from around Indiana in a full day of computer science, food, and fun!
The day began with an opening ceremony led by Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett at 9am. Then, experienced code ninjas chose from three exciting challenges: Scratch, Python, or GameCraft. Each ninja had 5.5 hours to earn point by programming solutions to different prompts given in each challenge - the more difficult the challenge, the more points they earned.
Meanwhile, beginner ninjas had the chance to attend #MyFirstDojo, where kids were able to try out a variety of hands-on CS activities using Makey Makey, Sphero, VEX IQ Robots, and more.
The day concluded at 4pm with awards and prizes for kids in every category. Thanks to our friends at Raspberry Pi Foundation, we were able to provide an amazing prize for our Scratch and Python Challenge Excellence winners: travel stipends to attend Coolest Projects North America in Santa Ana, California, this September. Deesha Roopesh of Carmel and Christopher Wang of Fort Wayne will both travel to this national event to represent Indiana later this year.
Want to join your local Dojo? Email myron@techpointyouth.org for information!
2018 Summer Fun with Technology!
Most of the time, parents bemoan the amount of time kids spend staring at screens or looking at mobile apps. For two weeks this summer, that was a little different for 60+ kids who participated in one of TPF4Y's goIT Technology Camps!
goIT is an experiential, immersive technology education program developed by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to demystify computer science and help students gain the skills and confidence required to pursue STEM degrees—and become tomorrow’s technology leaders. Thanks to TCS, these week-long camps as well as the volunteer training, were provided for free by TPF4Y.
“We are living in an age where kids have easy access to technology, whether that be through mobile phones, laptops, tablets, or otherwise. Our kids are very capable of understanding how to use these technologies, but not how to leverage them in improving their communities,” said Dennis Ma, Technology Specialist at TCS. “It's important for students to learn about technology at a young age and to be exposed to jobs and career paths that they might not know exist. We need to prepare our students to take on [the jobs of the future].”
In June and July, TPF4Y led a coalition of partners, including Salesforce.Org, Tata Consultancy Services, DREAM Alive, Direct Employers, Propel Up, and more, to host two goIT technology camps. More than 60 central Indiana students were able to participate in the program, which was mentored by local software development professionals.
"Here at DirectEmployers Institute, it is our mission to bring learning to life for our students. Programs like goIT... support our mission and are a perfect fit for [our] students, as teaching them about robotics and technology enables them to uncover both the hard and soft skills they weren’t previously aware of, allowing them to realize their full potential," said Kristabell Gichina of Direct Employer.
As part of these camps, students explored different technology careers, learned how to code using MIT App Inventor, and then worked on small teams to design, build, and present their first mobile application. While designing their apps, students were encouraged to brainstorm around solutions to real problems in their lives. Finished prototypes included a mental health awareness and education app, a fresh food access map targeted at users living in food deserts, and more. Some students even had the opportunity to work on their projects inside the Salesforce offices downtown, assisted by local developers!
Overall, more than 25 volunteers came together to mentor students during the two camps.
"PropelUp is all about connecting people to the relevant resources they need to learn throughout their lifetime," says Nick Birch, Co-Founder of PropelUp. "So the goIT program was a great initiative for our team to participate in because it allowed us to help high schoolers practice some of the skills and mindsets professional 'problem solvers,' aka software developers and designers, utilize in the real world."
We were excited to partner with Tata Consultancy Services to create this opportunity for Indiana kids and look forward to hosting more goIT camps next summer!
Want to learn how you can make an impact? Contact volunteer@techpointyouth.org to get involved!
Inaugural Pi Day Celebration Impacts 260 Students
On March 14th, TPF4Y hosted our first official celebration of Pi Day! Pi Day is celebrated annually by mathematics fanatics around the globe as the day’s date (3.14) bears a striking resemblance to pi, the mathematical constant used in computing the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.
Thanks to a generous gift from OneAmerica, TPF4Y was able to purchase several Math Pentathlon game boards which will be used during future Pi Day celebrations and also each summer when we partner with community sites for special one-time enrichment opportunities.
TPF4Y worked with Washington Irving School 14, Eliza A. Blaker School 55, and New Augusta Public Academy - South to commemorate Pi Day 2018 by organizing opportunities for students to play fun Math Pentathlon board games with local professionals.
In all, 41 volunteers contributed their time to ensure that Pi Day 2018 was a great success, from our partners at Kronos, DeveloperTown, First Internet Bank, Clean Slate TG, Randrr, Appirio, and Salesforce.
While Pi Day has passed for this year, we are still looking for volunteers to help facilitate Math Pentathlon games for students this summer and during the Fall 2018 semester.
Want to learn more? Think you might be able to help?
Contact Volunteer@TechPointYouth.org!
2018 Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship
The largest robotics state championship in the country took place on Saturday, March 10th at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, hosted by TechPoint Foundation for Youth's State Robotics Initiative (SRI). Almost 300 Indiana elementary, middle, and high school teams spent the day competing for the opportunity to advance to this year's VEX Robotics World Competition being held in Louisville, Kentucky, at the end of April.
In addition to the nearly 1,900 robotics matches occurring on 50 different robotics fields throughout the day, an interactive STEM Fair took place that allowed students to explore STEM activities facilitated by corporate partners and institutes of higher education. 20 booths inspired more than 400 students through hands-on activities - and it was free to participate.
Thanks to top level sponsors Guggenheim Life and Annuity, Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Herbert Simon Family Foundation, Roche Diagnostics, and Eli Lilly and Company Foundation as well as additional supporting sponsors, the event was a huge success with more than 10,000 people in attendance.
"This event was truly a milestone in our efforts with the State Robotics Initiative, and we were absolutely thrilled to put on a great event celebrating the success of Indiana robotics students," said State Director of Robotics, George Giltner, "With that being said, our work with the SRI will not be complete until every student in Indiana has access to a robotics program. We are looking forward to further expanding the impact of the initiative in the coming year."
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, who opened the event at the welcoming ceremony, proclaimed March 10th as Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship Day, in celebration of the event as well as the overall 225% increase in VEX Robotics teams the state has seen over the past two years, which is due in large part to the SRI.
The SRI grant program has helped to start more than 500 VEX IQ elementary school teams since 2016 and will be opening the grant to eligible Indiana middle schools in April, with plans to start another 350 teams.
Due to the unprecedented growth of VEX IQ teams in Indiana, the state was awarded 95 qualifying spots for the 2018 World Competition - more than any state in the U.S. The 95 Indiana teams competing at Worlds will be matched up against 1,576 teams from over 30 countries in Louisville, Kentucky, from April 25th - May 1st.
Video
Here is a highlight video from the State Championship!
Photos
Looking for pictures of your team from the event? Click here to look through all of our photos on Flickr and check out a sampling of pictures from the event below!
State Championship Award winners
The following awards qualify teams for Worlds.
Mayor Hogsett Proclaims Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship Day!
TechPoint Foundation For Youth (TPF4Y) is thrilled to announce the proclamation of Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship Day with Mayor Joe Hogsett and the City of Indianapolis. Observance of this day is in celebration of the inaugural state championship event that will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, March 10, 2018, and will be the largest robotics state championship in the country, gathering the top 300 Indiana teams from elementary, middle, and high schools across the state.
“We are excited about the unprecedented growth of robotics in Indiana,” said State Robotics Director, George Giltner. “It's unbelievable to think that in just two short years we have gone from 413 VEX teams in the state, to more than 1,300 - a 225% increase - and now we have robots taking over Lucas Oil Stadium. As you can imagine, this is exciting progress for TechPoint Foundation for Youth because we know these increased numbers mean more kids doing more hands-on, inspirational STEM at school.”
This growth in the number of Indiana VEX Robotics teams is attributed to the State Robotics Initiative, a comprehensive grant program developed by TPF4Y with initial funding from partners such as Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Guggenheim Life and Annuity, Herbert Simon Family Foundation, and long time partners Roche Diagnostics and Eli Lilly and Company Foundation. Since 2016, TPF4Y has provided grants, professional development, and now, the largest state robotics competition in the country for Indiana schools and students.
Mayor Joe Hogsett also emphasized the importance of the event: “With a scale that is unmatched across the country, the Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship provides educational opportunities to hundreds of students from across the state. It is an honor to host this event at Lucas Oil Stadium right here in Indianapolis – a city whose nationally-recognized culture of innovation is propelling our growth and success,” said the Mayor.
In addition to celebrating the City of Indianapolis’ observation of Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship Day on March 10th, TPF4Y is also announcing the expansion of the State Robotics Initiative during the 2018-19 school year to serve not only elementary schools across the state, but also eligible middle schools through 2020. TPF4Y will continue to rely on the generosity of its public, corporate, and philanthropic partners to bring this impactful STEM program to Indiana students.
"We are thrilled to see the growth of VEX Competitions in Indiana,” said Dan Mantz, CEO of the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, which oversees all VEX Competition teams and events. "We value the visionary leaders across the state who partner to increase students’ STEM engagement through VEX Competitions and look forward to seeing the impact of the middle school expansion.”
The Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship is free and open to the public and will include an interactive STEM Fair featuring hands-on activities hosted by local and national companies, institutes of higher education, and community partners who are inspiring the next generation of Indiana STEM talent. To learn more, visit the event webpage.
About the State Robotics Initiative, a program of TechPoint Foundation for Youth
The State Robotics Initiative was developed by TPF4Y to provide a hands-on, STEM learning experience to Indiana students through an economical, entry level robotics platform proven to engage diverse student populations in comprehensive STEM subject matter and spur student interest in STEM college and career pathways. The program was developed in 2016 as a statewide expansion of the City Of Indianapolis VEX Robotics grant program, a legacy of former Mayor Greg Ballard. For more information, please visit www.TechPointYouth.org/robots.
About TechPoint Foundation For Youth
As the leader in technology education efforts for the state of Indiana since 2001, TechPoint Foundation for Youth is committed to inspiring our state's underserved K-12 students to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). And to us, that means connecting ideas, investments, industry, and individuals to exemplary programs that inspire students to pursue careers in STEM fields. For more information, please visit
www.TechPointYouth.org.
Hour of Code Reaches 1,200 Students!
TPF4Y board member and DeveloperTown employee Jon Nolen works with a student at IPS School #55.
The week of December 4th - 8th, CoderDojo Indiana, a TPF4Y initiative, facilitated Hour of Code at five IPS and Pike Township schools in order to celebrate Computer Science Education Week for the fourth year in a row. CS Ed Week is a worldwide, grassroots campaign to encourage as many K-12 students as possible (over 497 million so far!) to participate in an Hour of Code activity. Students around the globe are encouraged to try their hand at coding by completing one of Code.org’s introductory activities. We invited the students we worked with to try CodeCombat (for middle schoolers) and Minecraft or Angry Birds (for elementary schoolers).
Students work together on an Hour of Code activity.
"Technology and coding are lacing their way through more and more of our lives every day," said volunteer Nick Birch of PropelUp. "Our kids are growing up as part of a generation where understanding the basics of coding, the language of computers, will be as important as understanding spoken language between humans. Learning to code will open doors for these kids that don't even yet exist."
TPF4Y partnered with Harshman Magnet Middle School, IPS Schools #14, #15, #55, and New Augusta Public Academy South to expose students to the world of computer science. Some of the students had experienced Hour of Code in the past, while it was a new experience for others.
"I'm so thankful I was able to spend some of my work week helping kids at my local neighborhood school learn to code," said volunteer Amanda Brinkman of Appirio. "It's amazing what the Indy community is doing to help bridge the skill gap for future generations. Thanks to CoderDojo Indiana for organizing & Appirio for the VTO!"
Salesforce employee Will Brooks answers a question for a student.
Thanks to over 170 volunteers provided by multiple corporate partners, we were able to impact more than 1,200 students over the course of the week.
"We are so proud of the growth we've seen with our Hour of Code efforts," said Courtney Lambert, Program Manager for TPF4Y. "Combined, we've introduced 3,111 students to coding activities over the past four years, just during CS Ed Week. And we're looking forward to continuing to grow our reach next year."
While Hour of Code has wrapped up for this year, our CoderDojo Indiana initiative is always looking for dedicated volunteers passionate about bringing computer science to underserved students. Currently, there are 37 CoderDojos in Indiana and we are in need of volunteers at several clubs in Indianapolis as well as throughout the state. If you are interested in learning more about volunteering at a CoderDojo club, please complete this form and we'll contact you with more information!
THANKS TO OUR 2017 HOUR OF CODE PARTNERS:
54 Indiana Teachers Receive Classroom STEM Grants
TechPoint Foundation for Youth is pleased to announce the winners of the EnablINg STEM Fall 2017 Grant Cycle, which was open to all Indiana kindergarten through 8th grade classroom teachers in schools with a free and reduced price lunch percentage of 55% or greater. This competitive grant program provides grant dollars to teachers to support the purchase of supplies and equipment that enhance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum in the classroom. Applications were evaluated based on their ability to implement hands-on, project-based STEM programming, while also focusing on the use of resources that could extend beyond the school year, had clearly defined outcomes, and had an emphasis on student STEM engagement.
The following 54 teacher projects from 28 Indiana communities were selected from among 119 applications to receive up to $500 in grant dollars totaling nearly $25,000 in funding from this grant cycle:
- Emmalena Rios, St. John Bosco
- Jamie Paino, Claypool Elementary School
- Tricia Sederholm, Peru Junior High School
- Matthew Geiger, 10th Street Elementary School
- Jon Metz, Harshman Magnet Middle School
- Terry Ward, Frankton Elementary School
- Michelle Smelser, Mary Castle Elementary
- Angela Weeks, Deer Meadow Primary
- Rebeccah Dyer, Henry W. Longfellow Medical STEM Middle School
- Sarah Dunham, Elwood Intermediate School
- Miranda Figert, Acron Elementary School
- Chi Chi Bardell, Montessori Garden Academy
- Jacqueline Scott, Hayden Elementary School
- Sarah Archer, Chapelwood Elementary School
- Rachel Nesbit, Blue Academy
- Tracy Nicodemus, Hay Primary Center
- Amy Hartung, Pleasant Run Elementary School
- Leigh Barnes, John Simatovich Elementary School
- Marjorie Alberson, Willard Elementary School
- Amanda Moore, Sunny Heights Elementary School
- Emily Brooks, Pleasant Hill Elementary School
- Jordan Weldon, Sunnyside Elementary School
- Jeremy Hughes, Hayden Elementary School
- Cynthia Fish, Liberty Elementary School
- Roza Selvey, Southside Middle School
- Jane Jones, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
- Kara Sedam, Canaan Community Academy
- Carol Blake, Laurel School
- Shannon Hudson, Crawfordsville Middle School
- Jillian Gudenschwager, Flint Lake Elementary School
- Apryl Kidd, Hatfield Elementary School
- Jennifer McGillem, North Wayne Elementary School
- Allison Case, Bridgeport
- Tonya Wass, Austin Elementary School
- Kendra Guerrero, Pleasant Run Elementary School
- Shannon Howell, Alexandria Monroe Intermediate School
- Amy Mihalich, Cold Spring School
- Jennifer Bartram, Webb Elementary School
- Bryan Beeler, Milan Middle School
- XaViera Ellinger, Montessori Garden Academy
- April Wolf, Dayton Elementary School
- Trisha Montgomery, Cold Spring School
- Angela Hale, Meredith Nicholson Elementary School
- Jackie Secrest, Northeast North Academy
- Dave Shafer, Skiles Test School of STEM
- Sherri Barnes, Guion Creek Elementary School
- Katherine Brown, Guion Creek Elementary School
- Beth Walenga, Lincoln Elementary School
- David Nelson, Indian Creek Elementary School
- Matthew Perkins, H. L. Harshman Magnet Middle School
- Jamie Boxler, Monon Trail Elementary School
- Sue DeLong, Clinton Prairie Elementary School
- Ruthann Copeland, Cold Spring School
- Shannon Shrader, Taylor Elementary School
Chosen projects ranged in topic from shark dissections and Rube Goldberg projects, to gardening and makerspaces. Teachers could request between $75 and $500 per project, with the majority of grantees receiving between $400 and $500.
Thanks to a $10,000 matching donation from Angie’s List Foundation and the generosity of the attendees at this year’s TechPoint Mira Awards Gala for funding this round of classroom projects!
Are Indiana Schools Committed to Offering STEM Opportunities to Students?
Did you know that Indiana employers estimate that there are 2.5 jobs available for every 1 STEM-skilled job seeker? By next year, there will be 1.2 million unfilled jobs nationally in the STEM workforce. Rapidly growing fields like Software Development, Computers Systems Analytics, & Engineering are creating far more jobs than there are job-seekers with the skill-set to fill them.
Here at TechPoint Foundation for Youth, our focus is to ensure Indiana's K-12 students have access to learning opportunities that will inspire the pursuit of STEM careers. Our programs remove the barriers which result in students’ loss of interest in STEM and lack of understanding of existing career opportunities.
The Robot Pirates of Parkwood Elementary School gather around the field before a match.
One of our fastest growing programs, the State Robotics Initiative (SRI) provides elementary schools the resources needed to launch a robotics program, including a VEX IQ Robotics Kit, teacher training, and ongoing support for sustainability. Robotics teaches young students valuable STEM skills and develops crucial 21st Century workforce qualities such as collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and communication. Additionally, robotics offers opportunities to students who aren’t necessarily interested in more conventional, and readily available, extracurricular activities like athletics or the arts.
The first year of the SRI was highly successful! The number of Indiana VEX IQ elementary teams grew from 70 to over 500 teams, reaching more than 5,000 Indiana students who had not previously been exposed to robotics! It was a fantastic first year, but our work is not done. There are still more than 800 elementary schools across the state who have not taken advantage of this unique opportunity. We want to be certain that the leadership within Indiana schools understands that robotics is just as valuable (and just as fun!) as offering athletics or fine arts. If every school district offers athletics and fine arts why not also offer competitive STEM opportunities for their students?
In May, we challenged Indiana superintendents to take the “Robotics Pledge”, making robotics education accessible to EVERY elementary school in their district with the help of our SRI grant. We recently spoke with the superintendent of Greater Clark County Schools, Dr. Andrew T. Melin, who is championing robotics in his district by ensuring that all twelve of the corporation’s elementary schools are providing robotics programs. Here is what Dr. Melin had to say when asked why he thinks it is important that 100% of his elementary schools offer robotics programs:
Teams from all elementary schools in Greater Clark County gathered for a scrimmage in February 2017.
“Our elementary students gained invaluable skill development in terms of critical-thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork at the VEX IQ robotics competitions. The great value of VEX Robotics is that students are involved in STEM learning without realizing it because it is fun and engaging. It gives students who are primarily academically focused a chance to participate in a team environment. It was so exciting and meaningful, that we thought all of our elementary schools would benefit from participating.”
When asked about Greater Clark’s goals going forward, Dr. Melin stated, “We want students to use our academic skills’ focus on reading, writing, and math along with our PRIDE career skills of Persistence, Respectfulness, Initiative, Dependability, and Efficiency to apply their learning, to work collaboratively, and to enjoy the experience.”
Blue Dots = Schools with VEX IQ teams
Robots = Districts with a robotics team in every Elementary School
Greater Clark County isn’t the only district in the state to commit to making robotics accessible to all elementary students. MSD Decatur Township, Lake Ridge New Tech Schools, Frankton-Lapel Community Schools, and East Noble School Corporation have also received grants for 100% of the elementary schools in each of their districts.
If your school or a school in your area is still feeling hesitant about applying for the State Robot Grant, check out what other Indiana teachers and administrators are saying after their first year.
Is your school corporation committed to offering students this unique STEM learning opportunity? Take the Robotics Pledge today and help us grow Indiana’s future!
Learn more at www.techpointyouth.org/robots/
To see if your school is eligible to apply for a robotics grant, visit our Robot Map.
CoderDojo Indiana Hackathon!
Do you have what it takes to be a developer? We're giving central Indiana kids a chance to find out!
CoderDojo Indiana (CDI), an initiative of TechPoint Foundation for Youth, is excited to host its inaugural hackathon, which, if you aren't familiar with the term, is an event where a group of people come together to engage in collaborative computer programming!
In this case, we're talking about a group of kids joining us at DeveloperTown (just south of Broad Ripple) on Saturday, July 22, 2017, to participate in all kinds of fun activities! Students will have a chance to test their skills (and learn some new ones!) by completing coding challenges in two programming languages: Python and Scratch. While the event targets student participants (ie: ninjas!) from CoderDojo clubs throughout Indiana, anyone is welcome to attend - no experience required!
The day will begin with opening ceremonies at 10am followed by a 5 hour challenge period. During the challenge period, students will be able to earn points by completing different coding challenges - the more difficult the challenge, the more points they can earn! During lunch, students will also have a chance to interact with some exciting hands-on exhibitors. The day will conclude with awards and prizes.
While it's FREE to participate, you must register at cdihackathon.eventbrite.com by Wednesday, July 19th in order to reserve your spot!
At the start of last summer, 15 CoderDojo clubs existed in Indiana, mostly located around Indianapolis and supported by the city’s thriving technology sector. Thanks to a partnership between Eleven Fifty Academy and TechPoint Foundation for Youth, that narrative is changing. There are now more than 30 CoderDojo clubs in communities throughout Indiana, with sites in 3 additional communities expected to launch by September 2017. The movement’s footprint has grown from just shy of 100 students to 450+, and we're excited to continue that growth in the years to come, giving all students access to high impact computer science programs!
We hope to see you at the CoderDojo Indiana Hackathon on July 22nd!