WILSON, Pa. — Wilson Area School District will welcome students and families to an evening of hands-on activities and exciting demonstrations during Computer Science in Education Week.
Wilson Family Computer Science Night will be 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, at Wilson Area Intermediate School, 2400 Firmstone St., Easton.
Celebrating its second year, Computer Science in Education Week will include highlight advances in technology.
“Computers are everywhere, changing every industry on the planet."WASD Curriculum and Instructional Technology Director Alex Mindler
That will include an opportunity to meet and play with Boston Dynamics “Spot the Dog," and fostering an interest in the industry for budding scientists.
“Computers are everywhere, changing every industry on the planet,” WASD Curriculum and Instructional Technology Director Alex Mindler said.
“WASD believes that every student should have the opportunity to experience Computer Science in the curriculum and develop essential computational thinking skills in preparation for successful futures.
"To that end, we are bringing together experts in the Lehigh Valley to share their CS knowledge and skills with our students.”
And those experts know just how to engage students in the field of computer science, with exhibits featuring everything from the basics — coding a mouse through a maze, for example — to high-end electronics such as Spot the Dog, who kids can meet at the Warren County Community College setup.
Local higher education connections
The two-hour program also will showcase an array of interactive stations featuring computer science professors and college students from DeSales University, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, Moravian University, Northampton Community College and Warren County Community College.
The local colleges and universities will offer students a chance to explore 3D modeling, Google’s Teachable Machine activity, machine learning, artificial intelligence, DNA sequencing, binary code keychains, a life-sized coding challenge board, demonstrations for building and assembling computer components and more.
Wilson Area High School's Engineering Club also will be on hand to show young scientists their sorting robots, and even let kids to play with their creations.
After last year’s initial event, WAIS computer science teacher and event Chairwoman Susan Austin said, organizers were pleasantly surprised to find local institutions of higher education were able to showcase such accessible but engaging content for younger students.
“We were very surprised at how many K-8 kids and their parents and their families and their siblings came out to talk to all of the individuals that we had at the event," Austin said.
"And to experience some of their skills and experiences, and they all kind of came up with something that worked for younger kids, to teach them something specific about computer science."
Austin said the event is a great opportunity to expand on one of CSEdWeek’s missions — exhibiting the growing diversity in technology, which includes more women and minorities.
Introducing kids to individuals from various backgrounds who work in tech helps “show children that there are people in this profession that look like you and think like you,” Austin said.
That helps build confidence for those students to pursue their interests, she said.
A future in engineering
This year’s event also will feature hands-on activities from Horizons for Youth, Tracer Drone Technologies and J.P. Morgan Chase.
They will be as broad as 3D modeling, online safety, drone programming, machine learning, coding and cipher challenges and more.
About those drones: “They were just used in the Blue Mountain wildfires, those commercial drones,” Austin said.
That will provide students with a local, real-world application of advanced technological efforts they may one day utilize, she said.
Students will be able to explore an encryption station and engage in coding activities with their own 3D-printed cipher wheels, code robot mice to navigate a maze and many more hands-on challenges.
Furthermore, WASD teachers and technology staff will be on hand to demonstrate how student Chromebooks are repaired and display physical computing basics with Spheros, MicroBits, Makey Makey controllers, sorting robots and other coding tools.
Those facets of physical computing and engineering are key to the future, Austin said, as “engineering is becoming so much more important when we’re talking about computer science, and we need to be talking about [it].”
Sparking an interest
Special guest Gregory Williams, a WASD and Moravian University alumnus who worked as an IBM software engineer, will offer a historical and future perspective on the field of computing.
“I’m looking forward to our Wilson community learning with their families."Susan Austin, WAIS computer science teacher and event chairwoman
“In addition to hosting our own celebration, Wilson Area School District is also participating in the Hour of Code sponsored by Code.org and CSEdWeek," Austin said.
"During the entire month of December, we will be joining over 10,000 schools from all over the world whose students are completing more than 100,000 hours of coding lessons while exploring the fascinating world of Computer Science.”
But the real draw for the community, students especially, will be sparking an interest in young people’s minds, Austin said, and hopefully encouraging them to pursue their dreams in computer science, whatever they may be.
“I’m looking forward to our Wilson community learning with their families,” Austin said.
“It was nice to see that last year. They were happy, they were smiling, they were excited about education and learning in that kind of environment with their families, and we don’t get to do that very often.”
